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Pikas

Order Rodents or Gnawing Animals

Pika Ochotona princeps Richardson

2026 Editor's Note: While historically classified alongside rodents, the American pika is actually a member of the order Lagomorpha, making it more closely related to rabbits and hares. These small mammals are considered a sentinel species for the potential impacts of climate change because they cannot tolerate prolonged exposure to high temperatures. To survive winter, they engage in "haying," where they store plant materials in "haypiles" beneath rocky slopes to consume when vegetation is scarce. (Ed: GG 2026-08-11)

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