![]() A critter known for loving the cold, it molts during the summer, then dons a nice heavy coat for winter. The pika is part of the rabbit family, Lagomorph, (order Lagomorphs), but differs from rabbits and hares as it has less developed hind legs (it doesn’t scamper about as easily as rabbits), has no tail, and wears those goofy Disney ears. What’s not to love about this adorable little creature as it shouts out “eeee!” from a rock slope, sitting on a boulder, seemingly curled up in itself? ![]() “Cute” is often written in its description. FWS-R6-ES-2016-0091.The American pika (Ochotona princeps) is often described as a small rabbit (avocado-sized) with rounded ears like Mickey Mouse. Endangered and Threatened Species: 90-day findings on petition to list American pika. Apparent climate-mediated loss and fragmentation of core habitat of the American pika in the Northern Sierra Nevada, California, USA. Alternatives to genetic affinity as a context for within-species response to climate. Geographical variation in the influence of habitat and climate on site occupancy turnover in American pika (Ochotona princeps). Distribution of a climate‐sensitive species at an interior range margin. Behavioral thermoregulation in the pika Ochotona princeps: a field study using radiotelemetry. The function of haypiles of pikas (Ochotona princeps). Seasonal changes in activity patterns and the adaptive value of haying in pikas (Ochotona princeps). Contemporary climate change alters the pace and drivers of extinction. Testing alternative models of climate‐mediated extirpations. This variability between regions means that detailed monitoring from across the pika’s range will be necessary to understand how different populations are faring under a changing climate, and how best to manage for healthy pika populations moving forward (Smith et. 2010).Īmerican pikas populations are responding differently to climate change in different parts of their range (Ray et al. Because of the conical shape of mountains, the total amount of available land area decreases as elevation increases, and suitable talus habitat and vegetation becomes sparse or non-existent, which leaves limited options for pikas to move upslope (Beever et al. An increase in temperatures may have made talus habitat increasingly hot and dry, forcing pikas to higher elevations to escape the heat (Beever et al. Pika populations are decreasing or becoming extirpated in some portions of their range in response to human-caused climate change (Beever et al. The temperature in talus habitat is fairly stable year-round, which allows pikas to keep cool in the summer and warm in the winter. This means pikas are particularly vulnerable to summer heat stress (Beever et al. Just two hours exposure to temperatures above 28☌ (82.4☏) can be fatal (MacArthur & Wang 1973). Pikas combat freezing winters with thick coats of insulating fur and a high metabolism (Smith and Weston 1990), but this means that pikas are prone to overheating. They collect vegetation including ferns, grasses, herbaceous plants, bits of shrubs, and conifer twigs to create haypiles, which serve as their food source for the winter (Conner 1983 Dearing 1997). Pikas do not hibernate and have adapted to survive the cold alpine winters. Pikas primarily inhabit patches of fragmented rock and boulder fields known as talus. The American pika ( Ochotona princeps) is a small herbivorous mammal, related to rabbits and hares, which resides in mountainous regions of western North America.
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