American pika might be tiny, but they are one of the toughest animals in North America that lives in alpine terrain. They have stout, small bodies with no visible tails and a pair of big, round ears. They have a coat ranging from black to brown to camouflage among the rocks.

The coat is thicker in winter and lighter in summer but still thick enough to cause them to overheat if exposed to high heat for an extended period. Therefore, global warming might be a potential threat to them. They do not hibernate during winter. Instead, they collect grasses, dry them in the sun, and store them for winter.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Canada

2016

Alberta, British Columbia

United States

2016