The American Pika lives in isolated rocky areas at up to 3,000 metres in elevation and is well-adapted to cold alpine climates. Biologists fear that these hearty creatures may not survive global warming; unlike many wildlife species that are shifting their ranges north or to higher altitudes in response to changing climate, pikas have nowhere else to go.
Picture credit: Sevenstar (Wiki Commons)
Amazing Facts About the American Pika
- The American Pika is a small member of the taxonomic order Lagomorpha, which includes rabbits and hares. It is well-adapted to cold alpine climates.
- Its very dense fur obscures its tail, which is actually the longest of all lagomorph tails.
- The American Pika lives in isolated rocky areas called talus formations, at up to 3,000 metres in elevation.
- Pikas feed on grasses and herbs and exhibit a behaviour called haying – during the summer they store fodder in crevices, which serve as a food store during winter when fresh forage is unavailable.
- American Pikas live in colonies and communicate via scent-marking and endearing vocalisations which make them sound like squeaky toys.
Conservation status of American Pikas
- Climate change is threatening the future of this species as it is physiologically intolerant of high temperatures and because its habitat is becoming increasingly unsuitable.
- Unlike many wildlife species that are shifting their ranges north or to higher altitudes in response to changing climate, Pikas have nowhere else to go.
- In some locations, entire Pika populations have already disappeared.