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Alpine Pika

Ochotonidae

Photo: Hedgenious · CC BY-SA 3.0 (May be cropped or resized)

Ochotona alpina

Basic stats

Diet

Mosses, stems, tree branches, and pine nuts

Habitat

Cold rocky mountain habitats

Range

Western Mongolia, eastern Kazakhstan, Russia, and northern China

The alpine pika is a small, round-bodied lagomorph with short limbs, rounded ears, and no externally visible tail. Summer coat colour varies among subspecies but is generally dark or cinnamon brown; winter fur becomes greyer with a yellowish cast. Its compact shape distinguishes it from hares, while locality and detailed skull or call characters help separate it from other Mongolian pikas. (Wikipedia, general species account)

It lives in very cold mountain regions of western Mongolia, eastern Kazakhstan, southern Siberia, and northern China. A generalist herbivore, it takes mosses, plant stems, tree twigs, and pine nuts. Like other rock-dwelling pikas it is associated with crevices that provide shelter near feeding areas, but the opened account did not support Mongolia-specific hay-pile behaviour, reproduction, or a named viewing locality. (Wikipedia, general species account)

Quick answers

What does the Alpine Pika eat?
Mosses, stems, tree branches, and pine nuts
What habitat does the Alpine Pika live in?
Cold rocky mountain habitats
Where is the Alpine Pika found?
Western Mongolia, eastern Kazakhstan, Russia, and northern China
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