Glover's pika (Ochotona gloveri ) is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae. It was first described in 1922, by Michael Rogers Oldfield Thomas. The summer dorsal pelage is grayish rufous, grayish brown, or tea brown in colour. The winter pelage is similar to the summer pelage, but is lighter in tone. Endemic to China, it is found in high altitudes of northeastern Tibet, southwestern Qinghai, western Sichuan, and northwestern Yunnan. It is a generalist herbivore, and is known to construct haypiles. It is rated as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is also regionally red listed as least concern in China.
A 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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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
Grazing 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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starts withThe Glover's pika measures 16 to 22 cm (6.3 to 8.7 in) in length, and weighs 140 to 300 g (4.9 to 10.6 oz). It has a 4.3 to 5.3 cm (1.7 to 2.1 in) long skull with its dorsal side being arch shaped due to the oblique backward sloping of the parietal bone. The frontal bone protrudes forward slightly, and has two oval alveoli above it. The summer dorsal pelage is grayish rufous, grayish brown, or tea brown in colour. The head is orange or pale brown from the rostrum to the frontal bone. The ears are large, measuring 3.1 to 3.9 cm (1.2 to 1.5 in) in length, are thin haired, and light chestnut, orange, or orange brown colored. The winter pelage is similar to the summer pelage, but is lighter in tone. The ventral and upper portion of the feet are dull gray or grayish white. The hindfeet are 3.1 to 3.6 cm (1.2 to 1.4 in) long. The anterior palatal foramen and the palatal foramen are detached or adjoined.
The nominate subspecies O. g. gloveri has a dark gray cheek and smoky yellow rostrum. O. g. brookei has an orange russet tipped nose, and light gray spotted above the eyes. The Glover's pika is similar to the Chinese red pika, but it is distinguished by its smaller auditory bullae, more slender rostrum, and longer nasals than the Chinese red pika. It also does not have the reddish mantle as possessed by the Chinese red pika.
The Glover's pika species is endemic to China. It is found in high altitudes of northeastern Tibet, southwestern Qinghai, western Sichuan, and northwestern Yunnan. The nominate subspecies O. g. gloveri is found in western Sichuan, O. g. brookei is found in southwestern Qinghai and northeastern Tibet, and O. g. calloceps is found in northwestern Yunnan and eastern Tibet.
It is a rock-dwelling pika which usually inhabits scree deposits and rocky clefts which is bordered by woodlands in most of its range. It is also known to live in adobe walls of lamaseries and villages, and does not live in grazing or agricultural habitats. It is typically found in high elevations ranging from 3,500 to 4,200 m (11,500 to 13,800 ft) from sea level but, in Sichuan, it may occur at lower altitudes of 1,700 metres (5,600 ft).
Very little is known about the Glover's pika's behavior, ecology, and reproduction. It is a generalist herbivore, and is known to construct haypiles.
Since 1996, the Glover's pika is rated as a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. This is because it is a widespread species, and it occurs in remote areas of China which are unlikely to be affected by human activities. The current state of its population trend is unclear, as no natural historic or ecological investigation has been done on this species. However, being locally poisoned and trapped is a major threat to the Glover's pika populations. It is also regionally red listed as a species of least concern in China.
