American Pika is a photograph by Jemmy Archer which was uploaded on September 16th, 2015.
Title
American Pika
Artist
Jemmy Archer
Medium
Photograph
Description
American Pika
This adorable little pika (Ochotona princeps) took a moment from gathering wildflowers and grasses to soak up the late afternoon sun along the Hidden Lake Trail in Glacier National Park, Montana.
American pikas are small, rodent-like mammals. Although they look like a squirrel or guinea pig, they're actually more closely related to rabbits and hares. Pikas have short, stout bodies with big, round ears.
Pikas are found in alpine terrain, above the tree line, on mountains. They live on rock faces, talus and cliffs near mountain meadows.
American pikas are suffering because global warming has brought higher temperatures to their western mountain homes.
Pikas live in high mountain ecosystems that are cool and moist. Higher temperatures can cause the pikas to overheat.
Unlike other mountain species that can move to higher altitudes in warming climates, pikas live so high on the mountain that there is no where for them to go.
Thanks to nwf.org for this information!
Uploaded
September 16th, 2015
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