Cony, Hay-maker, Mouse-hare, Piping hare, Rock rabbit, Rocky Mountain pika, Southern pika, Whistling hare, Little Chief hare
The American pika is a small rabbit that lives in alpine regions of the southwest of Canada and in the west of the U.S. It is a relatively smaller and cuter member of the lagomorph family of rabbits and hares. American pikas are hardworking herbivores that gather flowers and plants to store for winter. The polar bear has for years been the global warming movement’s symbol. But the American pika today has good reason to compete for this unwanted honor with the polar bear. These rabbits are suffering as a result of global warming bringing higher temperatures to their high, cool, moist mountain ecosystems. Higher temperatures can make pikas overheat, and they live so high up that there is nowhere else for them to go.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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CoprophageCoprophage animals are those that consume feces. Domesticated and wild mammals are sometimes coprophagic, and in some species, this forms an essent...
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GraminivoreIn zoology, a graminivore (not to be confused with a granivore) is an herbivorous animal that feeds primarily on grass. Graminivory is a form of g...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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GrazingGrazing is a method of feeding in which a herbivore feeds on plants such as grasses, or other multicellular organisms such as algae. In agriculture...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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BurrowingA burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
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MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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Cute AnimalsAmerican pikas, known in the 19th century as "little Chief hares", have a small, round, ovate body. Their body lengths range from 162 to 216 mm (6.4 to 8.5 in). Their hind feet range from 25 to 35 mm (1–1½ in). They usually weigh about 170 g (6.0 oz). Body size can vary among populations. In populations with sexual dimorphism, males are slightly larger than females.
The American pika is intermediate in size among pikas. The hind legs of the pika do not seem to be much longer than its front legs and its hind feet are relatively short when compared to most other lagomorphs. It has densely furred soles on its feet except for black pads at the ends of the toes. The ears are moderately large and suborbicular, and are hairy on both surfaces, normally dark with white margins. The pika's "buried" tail is longer relative to body size compared to other lagomorphs. It has a slightly rounded skull with a broad and flat preorbital region. The fur color of the pika is the same for both sexes, but varies by subspecies and season. The dorsal fur of the pika ranges from grayish to cinnamon-brown, often colored with tawny or ochraceous hues, during the summer. During winter, the fur becomes grayer and longer. The dense underfur is usually slate gray- or lead-colored. It also has whitish ventral fur. Males are called bucks and females are called does like rabbits.
The American pika lives in southwest Canada and the western U.S. These cute rabbits can also be seen in Oregon, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, New Mexico, California, and Montana. They inhabit alpine terrain on mountains above the tree line. They are found on rock faces, cliffs, and talus near mountain meadows, talus being a rocky area on cliff sides, slopes, or hillsides.
American pikas are adapted to very inhospitable environments, living where most other mammals avoid going - the treeless slopes on mountains: a very rocky, cold, and treacherous habitat for the tiny pika. These animals help protect themselves through their life in colonies. They live close to other pikas and they will alert the group about predators by giving a warning call. Although this species lives in colonies, they are extremely territorial over the den and surrounding area. An individual will make territorial calls to define its boundaries with its neighbor. Pikas usually have their den and nest sites below rock around 0.2-1 m in diameter, but often sit on larger and more prominent rocks. They rely on existing spaces in the talus for homes and do not dig burrows. However, they can enlarge their homes by digging. These tiny animals are active during the daytime and do not hibernate in winter, being active throughout the year. In winter they tend to spend most of their time inside the den. They eat stored grasses and venture out to forage if the weather permits. You will often hear a pika before you can see it, as they call and sing to define or protect their territory, warn others of danger and attract mates. Their call sounds like a bleating lamb, but squeakier and more high-pitched.
American pikas are herbivores (graminivores) and their favorite foods are grasses, weeds, and the tall wildflowers growing in their high mountain habitat. They are also coprophagic (i.e. they eat their own feces which have high energy value and protein content).
American pikas are monogamous (one male mates with one female), and an adult from a neighboring territory is sought as a mate. When there is more than one possible mate available, females may make a choice. American pikas start to breed from early to mid-spring. Two litters of 2-6 young are produced each year, after a gestation of 30 days. However, often only one litter survives as long as the weaning stage. Births usually start in May, with a peak in June, but at lower elevations may be as early as March. At birth, the young are entirely dependent on their mother. During the period of nursing, the mother spends a lot of time away from her nest, returning every two hours or so to nurse her infants. After about a month the young are weaned, and they reach adult size in 3 months. After a year they are able to breed.
The major threat to American pikas is global climate change, this species being in line to become the first North American mammal to be a victim of this threat. A study carried out from 1994 to 1999 found that 7 out of 25 American pika populations that were monitored had become extinct, partly due to climate change. This species is particularly vulnerable to this danger, as its habitat is the cool, relatively moist alpine climate. As temperatures rise, animals living in the mountains may move higher to find suitable habitat but this option is not open to the American pika, as it already lives so high up. As it has adapted to living in mountainous areas that are not often above freezing temperatures, it can die even after only a few hours of exposure to temperatures like 78 degrees F.
There are no estimates of population numbers for American pika. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC); however, its numbers today are decreasing.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...