They get their common name, Collared Pika, from the distinctive patch on the nape of their neck, which looks like a collar! The changes in moisture and weather conditions resulting from climate change affect the pikas whose thermoregulation is not necessarily adapted to the new temperatures. Currently, the Collared Pika is listed as “Special Concern” according to both the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and the Species at Risk Act (SARA). The Collared Pika has small, round ears, a white underbelly, and a distinctive 'collar' of light grey fur around its neck. Copyright © Nature Canada. The Baird's Sparrow song is a series of notes followed by a trill. The Collared Pika. The World Wildlife Fund says Canada isn't doing enough to protect its most endangered species. There is one designatable unit for Collared Pika in Canada. With your symbolic adoption, you're helping WWF-Canada ensure the long-term survival of species like the collared pika and its habitat. Common name: Collared Pika The high-elevation, high-latitude areas where they are mainly found are witnessing shifts in habitat and temperature at faster rates than elsewhere in Canada. Found at high elevations in the mountains of southcentral and interior Alaska, including the Alaska Range, Habitat. Collared pikas inhabit the cold mountains of central and southern Alaska and also northwestern Canada, where they are found in scree and other rocky areas above the tree line. Little is known about this species, and most of what we infer has come from work on its southern congener, the American pika (O. princeps). In Canada, approximately 78,000 km² of the Collared Pika range is contained in protected areas. Size: Weight is region dependent and can be anywhere from 117 g to 185 g. Collared pika (O. collaris) is found in northern BC and throughout YT and Alaska. It is the only pika found in Alaska. Collared Pikas live in mountainous areas and commonly inhabit boulder fields found above tree lines and adjacent to alpine meadows. Your adoption kit comes with a plush toy, a stunning poster with species facts, a personalized certificate and an optional reusable tote bag! It is closely related to the American pika (O. princeps), but it is a monotypicform containing no recognized subspecie… Outside Canada, Collared Pikas occur in southern and central Alaska. The Collared Pika is a small, solitary member of a group of species that includes rabbits and hares. Use their online form to report any sightings with photographs or map coordinates, and report illegal activity. The Collared Pika has already been extirpated in several areas over the last few decades due to changes in habitat conditions. Do your part as an individual to mitigate climate change; make earth-friendly consumer choices to limit your greenhouse gas emissions. Outside Canada, Collared Pikas occur in southern and central Alaska. Size: 18 - 20 cm (7 - 8 in); 130 g (4.5 oz). It is a small (about 160 g) alpine lagomorph that lives in boulder fields of central and southern Alaska (U.S.), and in parts of Canada, including northern British Columbia, Yukon, and western parts of the Northwest Territories. The Yukon Draba, which is found only in Canada, occupies less than five square kilometres in southwestern Yukon. However, despite their hostility toward unfamiliar animals, neighbouring males and females tolerate one another. Population estimate: Relatively unknown, although estimates suggest the Canadian population likely exceeds 10,000 mature individuals. Pika are sensitive to climate Currently, reintroduction programs are in... Canada’s wilderness is the world’s envy. They can be easily found because of their alarm call that carries across the alpine when you walk by. In Canada, the Collared Pika occurs primarily in the mountainous regions of Yukon Territory, extending into northern British Columbia and into Northwest Territories west of the Mackenzie River. Support habitat conservation initiatives and advocate for protected areas. Collared pikas live in central and southern Alaska and parts of Canada in boulder fields. The 2011 COSEWIC assessment designated the species under Special Concern. https://www.britannica.com/animal/collared-pika. Subscribe for campaign updates, advocacy opportunities, and more. Climate change affects the pikas in a few key ways. Two species are known in Canada; 18 worldwide. They are lesser known but nonetheless charismatic members of the order Lagomorpha and are closely related to rabbits and hares. There are a variety of species, all of which come in different shapes and sizes. The main threat to the continued survival of the Collared Pika is climate change. The different species of these cute critters range anywhere from six to nine inches when fully grown, and weigh less than a pound. The other species, the American pika, lives farther south in North America and has become a canary in the coal mine for climate change because it is very susceptible to warming and has been lost from many areas where it once occurred. Navigate parenthood with the help of the Raising Curious Learners podcast. Collared pika are one of only two species of pika in North America and are currently found in Alaska and Canada. At-risk species in Canada include the leatherback sea turtle and wood turtle, the collared pika, Atlantic walrus, burrowing owl, and the north Atlantic right whale, among others. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Additionally, changes in freeze-thaw patterns affect food foraging and storage, which can greatly influence over-winter survival. They are found places such as Kluane National Park and Reserve, BC; Nahanni National Park Reserve, NWT; and Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park, BC. This talus-meadow combination offers access to forage (meadow) and shelter from predators and weather (talus). The collared pika (Ochotona collaris) is a species of mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae, and part of the order Lagomorpha, which comprises rabbits, hares, and pikas. The collared pika (O. collaris) of Alaska and northern Canada has been found on the isolated nunataks (crags or peaks surrounded by glaciers) in Kluane National Park, and O. macrotis has been recorded at 6,130 metres (20,113 feet) on the slopes of the Himalayas. Only two species of the little lagomorphs are found in North America - the American pika lives in mountains of southern British Columbia and the American West; the collared pika is found in Alaska and elsewhere in northwestern Canada. There is one designatable unit for Collared Pika in Canada. Climate change affects the pikas in a few key ways. ... collared pika, horned grebe, rusty blackbird, peregrine falcon and dolly varden. Report a sighting: The B.C. Although there … The Black-footed Ferret is the only ferret species that is indigenous to North America. "Pika" comes from the Siberian word for this animal, "puka." The high-elevation, high-latitude areas where they are mainly found are witnessing shifts in habitat and temperature at faster rates than elsewhere in Canada. This region is witnessing climate-driven shifts in habitat and temperature at faster rates than elsewhere in Canada. It’s our duty to keep our true north strong and green. It is a small (~160 gram) alpine lagomorph that lives in boulder fields of central and southern Alaska (), and in parts of Canada, including northern British Columbia, Yukon, and western parts of the Northwest Territories. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Status under SARA:  Special Concern. Collared pikas, Ochotona collaris, are found in the mountainous regions of central and southeastern Alaska, in the Yukon-Tanana uplands to the Chigmit Mountains, and from the Richardson Mountains north of the Artic circle in the Yukon, west of the Mackenzie River in the Northwest Territories, and south into northwestern British Columbia (MacDonald and Jones, 1987). With short limbs, very round body, an even coat of fur, and no external tail, they resemble their close relative, the rabbit, but with short, rounded ears. The collared pika (Ochotona collaris) is a species of mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae, and part of the order Lagomorpha which comprises rabbits, hares, and pikas. Conservation Data Centre tracks at risk species. There is a greyish "collar" around the neck and shoulders. Collared Pikas live in mountainous areas and commonly inhabit boulder fields found above tree lines and adjacent to alpine meadows. All rights reserved, COSEWIC Assessment and Status Report on the Collared Pika. Canada’s Global Responsibility for Two Northern Species . The Collared Pika is small (15-20cm in length) with a chubby body and rounded ears. There is one designatable unit for Collared Pika in Canada. Their common name comes from the pale patches on their napes and shoulders which form a partial collar around their neck. The population of collared pikas in Canada is estimated to be >10,000 individuals (COSEWIC 2011a), but population size in Alaska is unknown. A pika, archaically spelt pica, is a small-sized mountain-dwelling mammal native to Asia and North America. A pika (/ ˈ p aɪ k ə / PY-kə; archaically spelled pica) is a small, mountain-dwelling mammal found in Asia and North America. The collared pika (O. collaris) of Alaska and northern Canada has been found on the isolated nunataks (crags or peaks surrounded by glaciers) in Kluane National Park, and O. macrotis has been recorded at 6,130 metres (20,113 feet) on the slopes of the Himalayas. Collared Pikas, both male and female, may have multiple mates. In Canada, the Collared Pika occurs primarily in the mountainous regions of Yukon Territory, extending into northern British Columbia and into Northwest Territories west of the Mackenzie River. Established in 1964, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungi and plant species. Pikas tend to be solitary and territorial, defending their territory by chasing and fighting intruders, scent marking through cheek rubbing, and calling. The Yukon Draba, a small plant in the mustard family, and Collared Pika, a pint-sized herbivorous mammal related to rabbits and hares, are survivors from glacial times. Diet . Hunting and trapping of the Collared Pika by non-Indigenous people is not allowed in Yukon or British Columbia and is not known to occur in the Northwest Territories. Discover more about this small but mighty species! Geographic Range. These little mammals have stout bodies, short legs, and small ears. Had the ATAC mining access road in the Beaver River watershed been built, it would have constituted a “breach of the honour of the Crown” and betrayed First Nations people, according to a decision document released by the Yukon government after inquiries by The Narwhal.. Leena Jalees, 14, of St. Catharines took home the gold at this year’s Spelling Bee of Canada national championship, beating out 25 other competitors in the intermediate division (ages 12-14) across the country. Though living in colonies, collared pikas give distinct calls to define boundaries between their den and their neighbours’ — and they will fight off intruders. Most species have thick fur, which comes in handy living in old mountain peaks. Collared Pika (Ochotona collaris) is a cold-adapted Beringian species that occurs on talus slopes and is sensitive to climate warming.Collared Pikas are patchily distributed throughout the sub-Arctic mountains of northwestern Canada and Alaska; however, information on their occurrence in the northern part of their distributional range is limited. Why survey for pika? COSEWIC Assessment and Status Report on the Collared Pika. Species at Risk Act Registry, SARA. The Collared Pika weights approximately 160g, which is less than 1 pound! Range: Yukon, Northwest Territories, British Columbia With your symbolic adoption, you're helping WWF-Canada ensure the long-term survival of species like the collared pika and its habitat. Outside Canada, Collared Pikas occur in southern and central Alaska. Learn about Yukon Collared Pika and how and where to view them. The pika…. It has grey fur, a bobbed tail and long whiskers. They are also known in some communities as “rock rabbits,” “whistling hare,” or “coonies”. A study of Collared Pika populations in a single location in the Ruby Ranges Ecoregion of southwestern Yukon showed that the population size fluctuated considerably over time. Litters are typically of two or three offspring, though there have been reports of litters with up to six offspring. The collared pika (O. collaris) of Alaska and northern Canada has been found on the isolated nunataks (crags or peaks surrounded by glaciers) in Kluane National Park, and O. macrotis has been recorded at 6,130 metres (20,113 feet) on the slopes of the Himalayas. The Collared Pika’s Canadian range is fairly remote and, as such, human activity has a minimal impact on the species. The collared pika (Ochotona collaris L.) inhabits the mountains of Alaska, Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories, and northern British Columbia (MacDonald and Jones, 1987). The Collared Pika has already been extirpated in several areas over the last few decades due to changes in habitat conditions. Habitat: The collared pika is found in mountainous areas, commonly inhabiting boulder fields above tree lines in the Yukon, Northwest Territories and northern British Columbia. Weight: 130 to 185 g (4.5 to 6.5 oz) Length: 178 to 198 mm (7 to 7.5 in) Rocky Mountain pika (Ochotona princeps) is found throughout the Rocky Mountains in BC and Alberta. Most of the current work investigating the effects of climate change on pikas has been done with the American pika (Ochotona princeps), which is found in the Sierras and Rocky Mountains in Canada and the contiguous United States and is separated from the collared pika by a 500 mile (800 km) gap. Collared Pika are restricted to talus slopes in alpine areas in Alaska, Yukon, western Northwest Territories, and northwestern British Columbia. Pikas are versatile feeders, eating most plants in their habitat. Latin name: Ochotona collaris The small level of genetic divergence between populations in Alaska and Yukon suggest the population expansion is relatively recent. Life Span: Around 4 years Collared Pikas inhabit primarily alpine boulder fields (talus) that are interspersed with meadow. 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