Pint Sized Pika

The American Pika (Ochotona princeps) is a small, rodent-type mammal that is most closely related to rabbits and hares. They generally reside in boulder and talus fields at higher elevations, at or above tree-line.

aka: “Little Chief hares” Ochotona princeps

As we hike in these areas, we often hear their high-pitched “eeek” warning others of our approach. The herbivorous animals only weigh about 6 ounces on average and feed on grasses, sedges, thistles and fireweed. They do not hibernate so their winter energy needs lead them to store various foods for the winter among their rocky abodes. They typically do not dig burrows, but instead live as much as a meter below the talus. They are quite territorial. Females typically bear two litters per year with gestation lasting about 30 days. The average litter size is three. Highly sensitive to higher temperatures, they can die in six hours when exposed to 78° heat. This severely limits their habitat. Males are referred to as “bucks” and females as “does.”

Obtaining a suitable photo of these creatures is not that easy. They seldom stay in one place for more than a few seconds before scurrying off. When hiking, if we are stopped and resting, they may come closer to investigate us, darting from one hiding place to another and peeking around the rocks to study us. This photo was taken late June, 2018.