A foundation trying to save a critically endangered species is celebrating a marmot milestone.

The Marmot Recovery Foundation announced on its social media page that the population of the Vancouver Island species has reached a new high of 427 marmots.

When its team first began releasing marmots to the wild in 2003, there were just 22 remaining, and its statement says there was a lot of doubt that the species could be saved.

It says when the group released the first four of the beaver-like animals into the wild 22 years ago, three of them were eaten by cougars within weeks.