Researchers from UCLA have launched an OnlyFans page called OnlyMarms
to fund the study of yellow-bellied marmots in Colorado. The team turned to the platform after federal budget cuts from the Trump administration severely impacted their research funding, opting to share videos of marmot behavior to solicit tips from the public.
The decision to move scientific research onto a platform typically associated with adult content was born from necessity. Daniel Blumstein, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UCLA, reported that the team is trying this out of frustration with an extremely challenging funding environment.
The RMBL Marmot Project and 65 Years of Data
The research is conducted by the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) Marmot Project, which has been studying yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer) at a Colorado field station since 1962. According to Blumstein, this is the second oldest continuous study of individually marked mammals in the world.
“65 years of data on population dynamics, social and anti-predator behaviour, and ask a lot of questions about how animals respond to a changing environment.”
Daniel Blumstein, UCLA Professor
This longitudinal data allows scientists to track how and why environmental changes affect animal populations over decades. However, maintaining such a project requires consistent financial support for supplies and operational expenses. When federal funding shifted, the team faced the possibility of their research hitting a dead end.
Funding Strategy: Why OnlyFans?
The idea for the page reportedly came to Blumstein while he was waiting for a marmot in a field in Gothic, Colorado. While lamenting the lack of federal research funds, he alighted on the television show Margo’s Got Money Troubles,
which sparked the epiphany to use the subscription platform.
The “OnlyMarms” page focuses on the mundane yet endearing habits of the rodents.
The researchers have adopted a specific financial model for the page to maximize their take-home earnings. Because OnlyFans takes a 20% cut and the remainder is taxed, the team does not charge users to see the videos, relying instead on voluntary tips.
Current Reach and Financial Reality
While the move has garnered attention, the scale of the funding is still modest compared to the needs of a multi-decade biological study. The page has recorded 735 visits and 44 fans.
Blumstein noted that while the page helps with supplies, federal funding remains the only viable way to ensure the research continues in the long term.
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