They are notoriously shy around humans, beating their tails and chattering their teeth to try to warn us off before emitting loud whistles to tell other members of their colony to flee.
众所周知，土拨鼠在人类面前很胆小。它们会敲打着尾巴，吱吱地磨着牙，以警告人类不要靠近。它们还会发出响亮的口哨以通知领域内的同胞逃离此处。
But when these alpine marmots see Matteo Walch, they scuttle to his side and show him nothing but affection.
但当这些高山土拨鼠遇见Matteo Walch时，它们涌到他的身边，流露出的满满全是喜爱之情。
The eight-year-old built up a remarkable relationship with the creatures since first being taken to see them by his nature-loving family four years ago.
自从四年前被热爱动物的家人带着见到这群土拨鼠后，这个8岁的小男孩儿便与它们建立了深厚的感情。
The family return to visit the colony in Groslocker in the Austrian Alps for two weeks every year.
这家人每年都会来到位于奥地利阿尔卑斯山下的格罗斯洛克住两周，探访Matteo的动物朋友们。
Matteo’s father Michaela, said: 'Their friendship has lasted for more than four years now.
Matteo的爸爸Michaela说道：“他们之间的友谊已经持续四年多了。”
'He loves those animals and they are not at all afraid of Matteo because he has a feeling towards them and they understand that.
“他爱这些小动物们，而它们也完全不害怕他的存在，因为他对它们有一种感情，而它们也完全能领会。”
We go there every year now for two weeks - it’s amazing to watch the connection between a boy and his animal friends.’
“我们每年都去那里呆两周——看到一个小男孩儿和动物朋友之间的情感联系，这样的感觉很美妙。”
Marmots stand at around 18cm tall and reach up to 50cm in length. Bizarrely, the animals are heavier in the autumn, when they can weigh up to 8kg, in comparison to 3kg in the spring months.
土拨鼠直立高度差不多有18cm，身长约50cm。奇怪的是，这种动物到了秋天便会增肥，能长到约8kg重，而春天仅3kg。
Michaela, a schoolteacher from Innsbruck, Austria, has uniquely captured the unique bond between Matteo and his marmot friends throughout the past four years.
Michaela是奥地利因斯布鲁克的一位教师，他在过去的四年内拍了许多Matteo和土拨鼠朋友的照片。
He said: 'I could spend hours watching animals - it gives me a connection with nature and its life forms.
他说：“我能一连几小时注视着动物们——它能让我与自然和动物的生活方式产生联系。”
'It’s great that I have been able to document the marmot’s natural behaviour around Matteo without making them afraid of me and my equipment.
“当我在拍摄Matteo和土拨鼠之间的自然行为时，它们一点儿也不怕我和我的器材。这真是太棒了。”
'I wanted to capture the animals exactly the way I see them - the way they behave among each other, in harmony with their surroundings.'
“我想把我所见到的动物最真实的样子拍下来——我想拍出那种它们自然互动、和周围一切和谐相融的感觉。”
It is clear from the pictures that Matteo and the marmots are totally comfortable in each other’s company.
从照片中可以看出，Matteo和他的土拨鼠朋友们相处得非常自然。
Michaela, 46, said: 'The picture of a curious animal approaching me is a thousand times more beautiful than the picture of any animal looking at me in fear before it takes flight.
46岁的Michaela说道：“一张小动物好奇接近我的照片，要比那些紧张地注视着我镜头、准备立刻逃跑的动物照片美丽一千倍。”
'This is how I try to picture the proudest, more beautiful and also the funniest moments, giving others the opportunity to enjoy the miraculous world of animals.’
“我便是这样拍出那些最令人自豪、最美丽、同时也是最有趣的瞬间的。这样，别人也能有机会去享受这不可思议的动物世界。”