Pallas's Pika
Encyclopedia
Pallas's Pika also known as the Mongolian Pika, is a species of mammal in the Ochotonidae
family. It is found mainly in the mountains of western Mongolia
. There are four subspecies: O. p. pricei, O. p. hamica, O. p. helanshanensis and O. p. sundica. One notable difference is that O. p. pricei generally dwells in dry steppe
habitats and may build burrows while the other subspecies tend to prefer rocky habitats. However, none of the subspecies live strictly in either sort of habitat.
Like other pikas, Pallas's Pika is herbivorous
and saves grass in the summer to eat in the winter. It often constructs haypiles with this stash, but some populations prefer to keep their stores under rocks.
Pallas's Pika usually has several litters of between one and thirteen offspring during each mating season. Mating habits may vary based on the population size in the area that year.
As a species, Pallas's Pika is common. However, O. p. hamica, O. p. helanshanensis and O. p. sundica are rated as Critically Endangered and Endangered, respectively, on the IUCN Red List.
Pika
The pika is a small mammal, with short limbs, rounded ears, and short tail. The name pika is used for any member of the Ochotonidae, a family within the order of lagomorphs, which also includes the Leporidae . One genus, Ochotona, is recognised within the family, and it includes 30 species...
family. It is found mainly in the mountains of western Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
. There are four subspecies: O. p. pricei, O. p. hamica, O. p. helanshanensis and O. p. sundica. One notable difference is that O. p. pricei generally dwells in dry steppe
Steppe
In physical geography, steppe is an ecoregion, in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biomes, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes...
habitats and may build burrows while the other subspecies tend to prefer rocky habitats. However, none of the subspecies live strictly in either sort of habitat.
Like other pikas, Pallas's Pika is herbivorous
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
and saves grass in the summer to eat in the winter. It often constructs haypiles with this stash, but some populations prefer to keep their stores under rocks.
Pallas's Pika usually has several litters of between one and thirteen offspring during each mating season. Mating habits may vary based on the population size in the area that year.
As a species, Pallas's Pika is common. However, O. p. hamica, O. p. helanshanensis and O. p. sundica are rated as Critically Endangered and Endangered, respectively, on the IUCN Red List.