![]() ![]() However, the main problem facing North American pikas are their temperature sensitivity. Asian pikas are especially threatened by extermination. Koslov’s pika, in China, is especially rare. Three species of pika from China and one from Russia and Kazakhstan are listed as endangered. In actuality, pikas are important to the biodiversity of the steppes. Pikas on the Tibetan plateau were thought to reduce the amount of grass for domesticated animals, and so were exterminated by the government. Pikas usually live far from people, yet they are still threatened by them. Pikas eat grasses, weeds, and wildflowers, and in preparation for the winter, they will lay grasses and flowers in the sun to dry them, then store them in their den. These pikas used to live across North America, but their habitat has steadily shrunk to higher and higher elevations. North American pikas came from Siberian pikas who crossed the land bridge. Despite their looks, pikas are not rodents they are actually related to hares and rabbits. Rocky pika also have two small litters, one usually successful, while burrowing pika have 5 litters of up to 13, and rocky pikas are less social and more territorial while burrowing pikas are very social and live in family groups. ![]() ![]() Rocky-dwelling pika live about seven years while burrowing pikas live up to one year rocky pika have smaller, more stable populations compared to burrowing pika’s large, irregularly numbered populations. As well as the differences in where they live, there are numerous other differences between rocky-dwelling pikas and burrowing pikas. About half of all Asian pikas build burrows in meadows or steppes, while the rest, as well as the two North American species, live in rocky crevices. 23 of these species live in China, two live in the western North American mountains, and the rest live in other parts of Asia. Pikas are a group of 29 species of small mammals found across Asia and in North America. ![]()
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