American Pika

This small, diurnal mammal has adapted to Nevada's high elevation and cold climate.

By NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE | November/December 2012

“The animals are very sensitive to increasing temperatures and are considered one of the best warning systems for detecting an increase in temperature within pika habitat.”

• Native to Nevada, the American pika (Ochotona princeps) is a small, diurnal mammal that has adapted to the cold climate in high-elevation boulder fields and alpine meadows in the mountains of the American West. It belongs to the lagomorph family of hares and rabbits and is exclusively found in alpine terrain, above the tree line. It occupies rock faces, talus, and cliffs near mountain meadows.

• The American pika has a small, round body and peppery brown fur. It is between six and eight inches long and weighs about six ounces. It is an herbivore that stores its food for the long winters in small piles called “haystacks.”

• The pika is a very vocal animal, using calls and songs to communicate with its colony. Warning calls signal potential predators as well as alert the colony of challenging males. Males use song to attract females during mating season, and females will occasionally mimic the males’ song.

• In early to mid spring, American pikas begin to breed. Many will breed twice annually, once in spring and once in early summer. The female’s gestation period is 30 days, with an average litter of two to six young. The young are weaned in a month, full grown in three months, and of breeding age in one year.

• Global warming may have contributed to numerous local and regional extirpations of pika populations. The animals are very sensitive to increasing temperatures and are considered one of the best warning systems for detecting an increase in temperature within pika habitat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife considered the pika for protection under the Endangered Species Act due to documented extirpations, but protection was found not warranted due to information indicating that pika could withstand increased temperatures within their occupied regions. 

This information is provided by the Nevada Department of Wildlife. ndow.org, 775-688-1500