Picture of a Pika crawling down a set of rocks

This adorable rabbit relative sounds an alarm for global warming

Each summer, the volunteer Pika Patrol is roaming the Rockies in service to the tiny, climate-threatened animal.

A pika in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park heads out of the sun and into a rocky den, where it’s cooler. Adapted to survive high-elevation winters, pikas are especially sensitive to warming summers. The Colorado Pika Project aims to gather as much data as possible to better protect the beloved native species.

A critter the size and shape of a furry russet potato, with Mickey Mouse ears, and no tail, the American pika might not be your standard “iconic” species. But the charismatic rabbit-relative is integral to the high-alpine landscapes of the American West. Hikers above the tree line often see the diminutive creatures busily dashing around slopes of rocky debris called taluses. If they don’t see them, they likely hear their high-pitched calls.

“They look like little dumplings, but they’re actually really industrious, hard-working animals,” says Alex Wells, the community science coordinator at the Denver Zoo and co-director of the Colorado Pika Project, a partnership between the zoo and Rocky Mountain Wild, a Denver-based nonprofit. The project’s mission is to

DON'T MISS THE REST OF THIS STORY!
Create a free account to continue and get unlimited access to hundreds of Nat Geo articles, plus newsletters.

Create your free account to continue reading

No credit card required. Unlimited access to free content.
Or get a Premium Subscription to access the best of Nat Geo - just $19
SUBSCRIBE

Read This Next

SeaWorld violated the Animal Welfare Act. Why is it still open?
'World’s worst shipwreck' was bloodier than we thought
World’s first ultrasounds of wild manta rays reveal a troubling truth

Go Further

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet