Photo Credit: Brian Crawford Photography American Pika Perils Climate Change Endangered Species

American Pika: Ochotona princeps Pikas are small mammals with short, rounded ears, and an invisible ‘buried’ tail that live in higher elevations. They are related to rabbits; Lagomorphs and are also called and are also called Rock Rabbits. Rock Rabbits. Photo Credit: Brian Crawford PhotographyBrian Crawford Photography

Photo Credit: Mountain Dwellers ► North American pikas usually live at high altitudes where rockpiles ("talus slopes") are formed at the base of cliffs by the shattering action of the freeze-thaw process. ► How do you think the pikas use the rockpiles to help them survive?

Victim of Climate Change ► Pikas are especially in danger to climate change for several reasons. As temperatures rise as predicted, animals are generally predicted to move upslope or to more northern latitudes. Pikas habitat is currently restricted to small, disconnected habitat ‘islands’ in numerous mountain ranges. How will this affect there migrating to higher elevation.?

photo credit: Vivid Light Photography Other Stresses ► In addition, Pikas do not inhabit burrows and are highly active above ground during the hottest months of the year. In these months, they are storing vegetation for winter use. If vegetation die of earlier due to hotter temperatures, how will this affect the pikas? ► Pikas are densely furred, and thus cannot disperse heat easily. How will hotter temperatures during active temperatures during active periods affect these animals? periods affect these animals?

Pikas benefit to ecosystem  Pikas are important in maintaining the diversity and abundance of alpine meadow plant species. Plant diversity increases in areas where pikas are actively haying large grasses. If pikas become endangered as predicted, how will this impact the alpine meadows?

Try This Observation ► Pikas are related to our Eastern Cottontail Rabbit. Compare the Pika skull replica to the Eastern Cottontail Rabbit and Muskrat skulls. Can you see how the Pika and rabbit belong to the Order: Lagamorpha? How are they similar?

...my 2 front teeth ► The order Lagomorpha consists of rabbits, hares, and pikas. Once included in the order Rodentia, the differences found in lagomorphs earned them an order of their own. Rabbits differ from rodents in that rabbits have two sets of upper incisors, rather then one. Rabbits also have spongy intertwined bone lining their upper jaws that is believed to aid in heat dispersal when the animals are running.