
Photo: (c) Andrew Bazdyrev, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 (May be cropped or resized)
Ochotona dauurica
Diet
Grasses and other vegetation
Habitat
Steppe and semi-desert grassland
Range
Mongolia and neighbouring Central and East Asia
The Daurian pika is a small, tailless lagomorph with short rounded ears and a compact body adapted to life close to the ground. Its brownish coat blends with dry steppe vegetation. Unlike rock-dwelling pikas that shelter mainly among talus, this species is closely associated with burrow systems in open country. Detailed cranial or dental characters may be needed where pika ranges meet. (Wikipedia, general species account)
It occupies steppe and semi-desert grassland across Mongolia and neighbouring parts of Russia and China. Animals feed on grasses and other vegetation, remain close to burrow entrances, and communicate with short calls. Colonies can alter local vegetation through grazing and provide prey and burrows for other steppe animals. The opened source did not provide dependable Mongolia-specific litter size, seasonality, or a visitor-ready observation locality. (Wikipedia, general species account)