Pika are one of my favorite animals. They are most closely related to the rabbit family, so that’s why you shouldn’t call them rodents in front of me! These balls of fur live only at higher elevations in rocky talus slopes. They like it there because they have little ears that can’t regulate temperature like bigger rabbits, so temperatures above 77 degrees risk them overheating. Unfortunately this means they are highly threatened by climate change, as they already live in the coldest climates. These hardy creatures don’t even hibernate, instead tunneling under the snow and eating the grasses they’ve gathered, dried, and stored for the long winter nights. You’ve probably heard the them in the high mountains as Pika are very territorial and will not hesitate to let you know you have offended them with a defiant EEP! Followed quickly by a vanishing act into their rocky empires.
