"The largest squirrels living today are the s (Marmota) of North America and Asia, including the well-known yellow-bellied marmot of the Rocky Mountains and the woodchuck of eastern USA and Canada (the "groundhog" of February 2). One of the largest is the gray marmot, found in the mountains of Kazakhstan. Marmots put on weight before they enter hibernation, and may even double their weight, so the animals are heaviest at the end of the summer. At this time, the largest gray marmot may weigh more than 8 kg (18 lb). The largest tree squirrels, the giant tree squirrels of Southeast Asia ('), are not nearly as big as marmots, but they are still quite large—ranging from 2 kg (4.4 lb) up to 3 kg (6.6 lb). With their beautiful long tails and striking coloration, these squirrels are an impressive sight bounding through the trees. In contrast, the smallest squirrels are the pygmy tree squirrels of western Africa (') and Southeast Asia ('), which are smaller than some mice. The smallest adults of both genera average approximately 14 or 15 gm (roughly 0.5 oz)."