PIKAS IN CHINA: SPECIES, CHARACTERISTICS, BEHAVIOR, RANGES

PIKAS

Forrest's Pika

Pikas are small, mostly mountain-dwelling mammal native to Asia and North America, with most of the 30 species in Asia. They have short limbs, very round bodies, even coats of fur, and no external tail. They resemble their close relatives rabbit, but have short, rounded ears. Pikas are among the highest-dwelling mammals. They have been observed on high slopes of Mt. Everest. According to the Guinness Book of Records in the 1980s, they were the highest living animal in the world. A pika has been observed at an elevation of 6,130 meters (20,113 feet). [Source: Wikipedia]

Although the historic range of pikas included Asia, Europe, northern Africa, and North America, today nearly all pikas are found in Asia. China is home to greatest pika diversity, with more than two dozen species there. Pikas belong to the family of Ochotonidae. Today, Ochotonidae make up a third of lagomorphs, the mammalian order that also includes rabbits and hares.The name pika is derived from the Tungus word pika and the scientific name Ochotona is derived from the Mongolian word ogotno, which means pika. According to Encyclopædia Britannica: “Despite their small size, body shape, and round ears, pikas are not rodents but the smallest representatives of the lagomorphs. [Source: Aspen Reese, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Pikas range in weight from 70 to 300 grams (2.5 to 10.6 ounces) and are usually less than 28.5 centimeters (11.2 inches) in length. Sexual dimorphism (differences between males and females) is present. Both sexes look the same and are the same size. The differ from leporids (hares and rabbits) in that they are smaller in size and lack supraorbital processes (bony extensions above the eye sockets (orbits) of the skull) and have small, rounded ears, concealed tails, and two. rather than three upper molars.

Pika Ecotypes

There are two main pika ecotypes: talus-dwelling ones that live mainly in rocky habitats and meadow-dwelling ones which reside mainly in meadow, steppe, forest, and shrub habitats. Each ecotype is associated with specific life history traits as well as behavior. Most species fall within one of these ecotypes, although there are some species which exhibit intermediate characteristics. The average mortality of talus-dwelling species is low and many are relatively long- lived compared to other small mammals. For example, American pikas live on average three to four years but have been known to live up to seven years. Meadow-dwelling species experience have high annual mortality as many are prey for animals such as foxes and wolves and few live more than two years. /=\

illustration of Koslov's pika made in 1888

Talus-dwelling pikas inhabit the crevices between rocks on mountain slopes. They like rocky mountainsides, where numerous crevices are available for shelter and forage in the alpine meadows that abut the rocks or from the vegetation that grows between the rocks. They are found across a wide altitudinal range from below 90 meters to above 6000 meters (20,000 feet). Among the talus-dwellers are Himalayan pikas, alpine pikas, collared pikas, silver pikas, Glover’s pikas, Chinese red pikas, northern pikas, Ili pikas, large-eared pikas, Royle’s pikas, Turkestan red pikas and American pikas. /=\

Meadow dwelling pikas are found in a variety of vegetated habitats where they forage and produce burrows. The meadows they occupy are also typically at high elevation. Among these are steppe pikas, black-lipped pikas, Gansu pikas, Kozlov’s pikas,, Daurian pikas, Muli pikas, Nubra pikas, Ladakh pikas Moupin pikas, and Thomas’s pikas. Some species, including Pallas's pikas and Afghan pikas are known to occur in both habitat types and are referred to as intermediate species. Although intermediate in habitat, these species exhibit the life-history traits and behavior of meadow-dwelling pikas. /=\

Pikas Species in China

Helan Shan Pikas (Ochotona argentata) are also called silver pikas. They are endemic to China where they are found in a small region of the Helan Mountains in Inner Mongolia. They are listed as "Endangered" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species as of 2016. ike other pikas, their ears are small and rounded and their feet are covered with fur. They grow to a length of about 22 centimeters (9 inches). [Source: Wikipedia]

Chinese Red Pikas (Ochotona erythrotis) have distinctive red coloring in its pelt. They are typically lives in rocky terrain at altitudes between 600 and 1200 meters (1970 to 3940 feet) and are endemic to the East Qinghai, West Gansu and Northern Sichuan provinces of China and Eastern Tibet.

Forrest's Pika (Ochotona forresti) are found in Bhutan, China, India, and Myanmar. Their summer fur color is dark rufous or blackish brown; the winter backside fur is grayish brown, and slightly lighter on their undersides.

Glover's Pikas (Ochotona gloveri) are found in high altitudes of northeastern Tibet, southwestern Qinghai, western Sichuan, and northwestern Yunnan. They construct haypiles nad have summer backside fur that is grayish rufous, grayish brown, or tea brown in colour. Their winter coat is similar to the summer one but is lighter in tone.

Koslov's pika (Ochotona koslowi) are also called Kozlov's pika. They are found only in China and listed as "endangered" there. The live on within the Northern edge of the Arkatag Range in western China in the east-central portion of the Kunlun range. They live in tundra areas and threatened by habitat loss.

Manchurian pika

Thomas's Pikas (Ochotona thomasi) are also known as Thomas-pikas. They live on isolated peaks of the eastern Qilian Mountains in Qinghai, Gansu, and northwestern Sichuan, in China. The fur on their upper body is reddish brown in summer, and mouse grey in winter. IUCN Red List listed them as near threatened in 1996, and as a species of least concern in 2008.

Korean Pikas (Ochotona coreana) are also known as Korean piping hares. They found in mountainous northern regions of North Korea and parts of the Changbai Mountains in Jilin, China. They are rated as a data deficient species on IUCN Red List and very little is known about them.

Manchurian Pikas (Ochotona mantchurica) reside in the mountains of northeastern China in Inner Mongolia in the Lesser and Greater Khingan ranges, as well as parts of Zabaykalsky Krai. They are closely related to both northern pikas and Hoffmann's pikas For a long time Manchurian pika were divided into different classifications based on its populations' distribution, with those in Russia described as alpine pikas and those in other places as northern pikas.

Unraveling the Taxonomy and Diversity of Chinese Pika

Ryan Byrnes wrote in Animal Diversity Web: To date, most systematic treatments of Ochotona (the pika animal group) have been based on morphological characteristics; however, morphology often exhibits phenotypic plasticity and convergent evolution. The goal of the Changlin et al. (1997) study was to clarify confusion concerning six species of Chinese pikas through mtDNA restriction-site analysis. [Source:Ryan Byrnes, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Gansu pikas are often included in Moupin pika species (Ochotona thibetana) because of similarities in fur color, size, and shape of the skull. Mitochondrial DNA analysis determined that these were in fact two separate species. Changlin et al. suggest that evolutionary diversification of pikas might be influenced by historical episodes of geologic and climatic changes. During the Early Pleistocene Period (2.6 million to 800,000 years ago) the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau was uplifted, which resulted in an ice age, and moutain formation. Northwestern China became drier due to the rain shadow effect caused by the plateau. Therefore, vegetation was significantly altered and isolation of habitats was frequent.

All of these events provide good opportunity for diversification and specialization within the genus Ochotona. Recent geological studies show that an ice sheet did not cover the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau during the Quaternary Ice Age. Therefore, ancestral pikas may have been typical of arid, cold adapted steppes, but now are located in steppe, shrub, coniferous forests, and alpine rocks. This suggests that pikas responded to habitat shifts induced by continued uplift of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and glacial cycles from the late Pliocene Period (5.4 million to 2.4 million years ago) to the Pleistocene Period (2.6 million to 11,700 years ago) through gradual adaptation to new habitats. /=\

Ili Pika — One of the World’s Cutest and Most Endangered Animals

Ili pika

There are believed to be are less than 1,000 Ili pikas in existence. In 2014 one was photographed for the first time since the 1990s. It is native to Xinjiang in western China. CNN reported: Rarer — and some would argue cuter — than the panda, these teddy bear-like creatures living in the Tianshan mountain range in the Xinjiang region of northwestern China, says conservationist Li Weidong. Li discovered the pika, formally known as Ochotona iliensis, in 1983 and named it after his hometown, Ili. In July 2014, Li spotted and photographed the elusive creature for the first time since the early 1990s. He estimates its numbers have declined by almost 70 percent since its discovery. "I discovered the species, and I watched as it became endangered," he told CNN. "If it becomes extinct in front of me, I'll feel so guilty." [Source: Shen Lu and Katie Hunt, CNN, March 25, 2015]

“In 2008, the animal was listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. “The mammal, only 20 centimeters long, lives on sloping bare rock faces and feeds on grasses at high elevations. Li says the pika's habitat has been affected by global warming. Due to rising temperatures, glaciers have receded and the altitude of permanent snow has risen in the Tianshan mountains, forcing the pikas to gradually retreat to mountain tops, Li said. Ili pikas were originally found at elevations between 3,200 to 3,400 meters, he said. Now they have retreated to elevations of 4,100 meters. "They have nowhere else to retreat," he added. It's also a solitary animal and is not as vocal as other pika species, so if predators are near, Ili pikas are not able to alert each other, Li said. Disease may also be a factor in its decline.

“In 1983, when Li first came across the mammal, nobody knew what it was. Two years later, Li found another two and it was declared a new species. In the decade following, Li and his colleagues conducted a number of studies, including a census at 14 different sites. However, in 1992, Li left Ili to work with Xinjiang Academy of Environmental Protection in the regional capital Urumqi. No studies were conducted on Ili pika in the following decade. No one saw the pika, either. In 2002 and 2003, Li, with a team of volunteers, conducted a fresh census. Despite spending 37 days searching the mountains for the pikas on seven separate trips, they came up empty handed.

“However, by analyzing droppings and snow tracks, Li, along with Arizona State University biologist Andrew Smith, was able to conclude that the Ili pika population had seen a dramatic decline. Together they calculated that there might be 2,000 mature animals, down from 2,900 in the early 1990s. The research, published in 2005, recommended that the animal should be listed as endangered.

“In 2007, Li retired early to throw himself into searching for the pika. In 2014, he organized a group of 20 volunteers to conduct another survey with infrared cameras. This time, on the second day of the field trip, they finally spotted a pika, who jumped and stepped over Li's feet while he was trying to photograph it. The volunteers dubbed it a "magic rabbit." They concluded that there were fewer than 1,000 Ili pikas, said Li. "This tiny species could be extinct any time," he said. "They don't exist in the sites where they used to be anymore."

Tsing-Ling Pikas

Ili pika range

Tsing-ling pikas (Ochotona syrinx or Ochotona huangensis) are endemic to mountains in Central China. Rarely seen, they inhabit mountainous forests and shrublands and get their name from an old transliteration of "Qinling", the name of the mountains that they inhabit. Six pika species live in central China. The taxonomy of these species is in flux, and most of them are little studied and population data is lacking. [Source: Wikipedia]

Tsing Ling pikas are meadow-dwelling, burrow-digging pikas that reside in steppe regions in Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan, Henan, Hubei, and Qinghai provinces in temperate mixed forests, shrublands, and grasslands at elevations of 1800 to 4000 meters (5905 to 13123 feet) at an average elevation of 2700 meters (8858 feet). Much of the area where they live is considered to be semi-arid. They are sometimes found near agricultural and pastoral fields and villages. Tsing Ling pikas build and live in extensive burrow systems. [Source: Jon Kiefer, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Over the years, there have been discussions and about the taxonomy of Tsing Ling pikas. At first they classified as a subspecies of Moupin pikas or Daurian pika. Advanced genetic analysis and morphological comparison techniques in the last few decades have ahave resulted in Tsing Ling pikas being designated as a unique species. The fact that are not often seen is more a consequence of living in remote areas with few humans than being threaned or endangered. On the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List they are listed as a species of Least Concern. The biggest threat that Tsing Ling pikas face is probably the expansion of land for for livestock into their habitats. They are also sometimes viewed as pests that consume the the same vegetation that livestock graze and been poisoned by local farmers.

Tsing-Ling Pika Characteristics, Behavior and Reproduction

Tsing Ling pikas have a head and body length that ranges from 12.5 to 17.6 centimeters (4.92 to 6.93 inches). Their average weight is 80 grams (2.82 ounces).In the summer the backside fur of Tsing Ling pikas is dark russet-brown and. In the winter comes the color fades and becomes a dull brown. In both seasons the underside fur is a grayish white. The Tsing Ling pika has a distinctly flatter and more broad skull than the other pika species that it lives sympatrically with. Sexual Dimorphism (differences between males and females) is not present: Both sexes are roughly equal in size and look similar. [Source: Jon Kiefer, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Tsing-ling pika range

Tsing Ling pikas are fossorial (engaged in a burrowing life-style or behavior, and good at digging or burrowing), diurnal (active during the daytime) and motile (move around as opposed to being stationary). They dig complex burrow systems that they lives in, store food in and rasie their young in.

Little is known about the mating system of the Tsing Ling pika. If they are like other Asian burrowing pikas they can be commonly monogamous or polygynous. The gestation periods for Asian burrowing pikas are approximately 25-30 days. Tsing Ling pika can have litter sizes that range from one to five. They typically reach sexual maturity and mate during the summer of their first year. Tsing Ling pikas are capable of having multiple litters in a year. The breeding season for most Asian burrowing pikas runs from spring through summer. Most of the parenting duties are done by females, who nurse their young. Males may help out by protecting the burrow and giving warning calls of predators. Some burrowing pika females are known to choose their mates based on den structure and known disperse when they reach maturity. Juvenile males sometimes receive the territories of their fathers upon their death since thus stay in their natal area.

Daurian Pikas

Daurian pikas (Ochotona dauurica) are found throughout Mongolia, in the Altai region, in, Tuva and Transbaikal and a few other parts of southern Russia and Manchuria, Qinghai and several provinces of China. They live in mountainous regions at elevations of 400 to 6000 meters (1,312 to 19685 feet) but are generally found at altitudes between 3,000 and 4,000 meters (9,842 and 13,123 feet) and burrow and cache grass and herbaceous vegetation in hay piles that they eat in the winter. Their expected lifespan in the wild is approximately 2.3 years Plateau pikas, which are native to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, are similar ecologically and morphologically to Daurian pikas, who sometimes share burrows with Pallas’s pikas and Campbell's dwarf hamster (only in the steppes and semi deserts of northern Manchuria).

Daurian pikas are mainly found in grasslands, steppes, and semi-deserts but also live in tundra habitats around mountain steppes.. In southeastern Altai they tend to live in depressions, valleys of small rivers, and shrub thickets from the foothills to the summits of mountains In Tuva they can be found in river flood plains, agricultural areas and grassy-wormwood, cinquefoil-wormwood, grassy-herbage hillocks. In Mongolia they are found in area dominated by pea shrub bushes and rivers or streams. Daurian pika burrows can be 30 to 40 centimeters (11.8 to 15.7 inches) deep with some reaching a depth of 1.5 meters (4.9 feet). Tunnels can have anywhere from four to 40 entrances and can cover an area from four to 700 square meters (7,500 square feet. [Source: Erin Ciwko, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Daurian pika

Populations of Daurian pikas are fairly large and extensive. On the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List they are listed as a species of Least Concern. In CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild) they have no special status. Isolated groups around the northern and southern edges of the Gobi Desert sometimes experience sharp population declines. Pika fur was used in the Soviet Union before World War II to make warm clothing. Today, Mongolian herdsmen sometimes take their livestock to areas with pika hay piles for the livestock to feed on. However, Daurian pikas are sometimes considered a pest species as they compete with livestock for the same forage.

Burrowing pikas can have high population densities, but they undergo large fluctuations. The density of Daurian pikas may vary between 0.1 to over 300 per hectare. This fluctuation can be due to quality of the soil, humidity, vegetation, flooding, and competition with grazing herbivores. Overgrazing by livestock can be detrimental to pika densities. Many predators prey on Daurian pikas, including steppe polecats and Corsac foxes. especially in years where their populations are high. They especially an important food source for birds of prey, comprisung 62 percent of the diet of steppe eagles, 17 percent of the diet of upland buzzards, 73 percent of the diet of eagle owls, and 22 percent of the diet of saker falcons. Many rodents in the steppe hibernate during the winter, while pikas do not, this they become an important source of food for many carnivorous animals in the winter. Pikas attempt to avoid predation by being constantly vigilant, staying close to their burrows and using calls alert others of dangers.

Daurian Pika Characteristics, Diet and Communications

Daurian pikas range in weight from 140 to 170 grams (4.9 to 6 ounces) and have a head and body length that ranges from 17 to 22 centimeters (6.7 to 8.6 inches), with their average length being 18 centimeters (seven inches). Sexual Dimorphism (differences between males and females) is not present: Both sexes are roughly equal in size and look similar. The fur in summer is yellowish straw-gray to deeper straw-grey with yellowish sides and white bellies. In winter the color becomes lighter and the fur is longer and more dense. The paws and ears become more furred in the winter. Daurian pikas have mostly white vibrissae (whiskers) ranging from four to six centimeters in length and long thin claws. Their skull size is four centimeters and their hind measure 2.5 to 3.1 centimeters and ear length is from 1.8 to 2.4 centimeters, with an average of 2.1 centimeters. Currently four subspecies of Daurian pikas are recognized: O. dauurica annectens, O. dauurica bedfordi, O. dauurica dauurica and O. dauurica mursavi.

Daurian pikas are herbivores that feed on plants near their burrows. As a result, the species composition of their diet varies across their range. In the spring and the beginning of summer, they eat a large amount of underground plant materials. Species that they have been recorded eating include fringed sagebrush (Artemisia frigid), Carolina lupine (Thermopsis lanceolata), Melissitus ruthenica, Heteropappus altaicus and redstem wormwood (Artemisia scoparia). In the Borzinsk steppes, these pikas use 60 species of plants, 11 species of grasses, nine species of composites, five species of legumes, and four species of buttercups and roses. Daurian pikas prepare 10 hay piles on average for winter. Daurian pikas cut grasses at the root and pile it up so that the cut ends point up, which aids in drying hay stacks. Daurian pikas do not hibernate, instead they store food in food chambers or near the entrance to their burrows. Furthermore, the large amount of feces found in storage chambers suggests that they may carry in hay from entrances to consume when food chamber levels are depleted or low. Feces can be either dry hard pellets or soft pellets for caecotrophy.

Daurian pikas sense and communicate with vision, touch, sound and chemicals usually detected by smelling. They have keen hearing and use alarm calls to alert neighbors to threats. Neighboring pikas that hear the call repeat it to warn others in the area. They also employ choruses (joint displays, usually with sounds, by individuals of the same or different groups to communicate). They mark their territories via urine and cheek gland secretions.Daurian pikas have many vibrissae (whiskers) from 53 to 59 millimeters in length. They have large tympanic bullae, as they rely heavily on hearing. Before they exit their burrows, they stop to inspect and listen, sometimes raising onto their hind legs. They communicate with vocal signals, including songs, trills, and alarms. Pikas that hear an alarm from another will repeat the loud whistle to warn others. The trill is always used in a social setting, it is heard at short intervals and a pika will usually respond with a trill within one to two minutes of hearing another's trill. A song is three to four times as long as a trill, but it is not often used. The song is usually not repeated by other pikas and comes more often from males than females. In captivity, males emit long vocalizations which are thought to advertise territories and strengthen the male-female pair bond.

Daurian Pika Behavior and Reproduction

range of Daurian pikas

Daurian pikas are cursorial (with limbs adapted to running), fossorial (engaged in a burrowing life-style or behavior, and good at digging or burrowing), diurnal (active during the daytime), motile (move around as opposed to being stationary), sedentary (remain in the same area), territorial (defend an area within the home range) and social (associates with others of its species; forms social groups). The territory of Daurian pikas is made up of the inner (main burrow and specific places) and peripheral territories. The peripheral territory is the foraging area, which overlaps with other Daurian pika family groups. There is little territorial aggression between neighboring pikas. But aggressive behavior has been observed when an unfamiliar animal enters their territory. Boxing episodes between pikas are rare and brief. [Source:Erin Ciwko, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Erin Ciwko wrote in Animal Diversity Web Daurian pikas are mostly diurnal, but activity changes depending on environmental conditions. In spring they are active during the day, in summer they are active in the mornings and evenings. In winter they venture out only on warm days. They avoid hot temperatures, especially during the day, by staying in their burrow. Their burrow system is made up of complex tunnels, including areas for food storage and nesting chambers made of intertwined fibrous grasses. Nests contain layers which increase in dampness and hardness closer to the ground. The top layers are soft and dry because they actively refresh the nesting material. The burrow is usually occupied by a male and female pair and, if present, their offspring. Daurian pikas are social animals and friendly behavior is most often observed in family groups, including grooming and huddling.

Daurian pikas practice facultative monogamy (where a male stays with a single female primarily due to the scarcity of other mating opportunities, not necessarily because a strong preference for that female). They engage in seasonal breeding, from April to September. The number of offspring ranges from one to eleven. Females reach sexual or reproductive maturity in as little as three weeks and are able to produce offspring in a few months after their birth — between June and July. Typically of three litters are produced during the breeding season. Young may comprise as much as 93 percent of Daurian pika population in the summer. Females comprise 59 percent of newborn young, but this sex ratio changes with age. Female numbers decrease they get older. Among a captive population of males, testes had receded into the abdomen by September, suggesting no further breeding.

In captive populations mating males mount the female from the back at which time the female raises her lower end. Young are altricial, meaning that they are born relatively underdeveloped but they develop quickly. Parental care is provided by females. Daurian pika offspring are born without fur and with their eyes closed. After 10 to 13 days, they are fully furred and able to walk and see. In a captive population, young were able to eat a solid diet within 21 days after birth and were weaned at four weeks old. Young remain in their burrow during the summer with adults where they receive protection and nutrients. In winter, burrows are usually only occupied by the male and female pair

Gansu Pikas

illustration of Gansu pikas made in 1888

Gansu pikas (Ochotona cansus) are also known as gray pikas and Ganzu pikas. They are endemic to China and are found in alpine shrub habitats and steppe-meadow environments in the Gansu, Qinghai, and Sichuan provinces at elevations of 2000 to 4000 meters (6,562 to 13123 feet). Where they live temperatures fall below freezing at even during the summer (at nights). Gansu pikas are mainly found among shrubby cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa) plants. They avoid dense shrub areas. They prefer slightly open areas with natural mounds created by zokors. Gansu pikas perch on these mounds to get a view of their surrounding, mainly to scan for predators so they can avoid them and escape before they get too close. [Source: Ryan Byrnes, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Gansu pikas look almost exactly like Moupin pikas (Ochotona thibetana). Both are fairly small pikas, measuring 14 to 18 centimeters (5.5 to 7.1 inches) in length, and weigh 71 to 136 grams (2.5 to 4.8 ounces). Their backside coat is dark russet-brown in color with some light spots. The winter backside coat is buff to dull brown. The two species can be identified by the zygomatic arch (cheek bones). Gansu pikas have narrower zygomatic arches than Moupin pikas. The skull of Moupin pikas is 3.6 to 4.2 centimeters (1.4 to 1.7 in) in length — larger than the skull of Gansu pikas. Sexual Dimorphism (differences between males and females) among Gansu pikas is not present: Both sexes are roughly equal in size and look similar.

Gansu pikas, like most pikas, are herbivores, grazing on the grasses and herbaceous plants. the plant foods they eat are leaves, stems, flowers, wood and bark. They defecate at latrine sites in open areas, such as a small mound, presumably because the sites are suitable for digging feces pits. Males were observed defecating anywhere from 2-10 pellets at a time. Gansu pikas are prey to a number of animals, including upland buzzards, Saker falcons, steppe polecats and mountain weasels. Gansu pikas have several behaviors aimed at predator avoidance, They are vigilant, especially to aerial predators, and have a set of warning calls to alert others to danger. The warning calls trigger other pikas to make more warning calls, serving as a transmission of danger signals.

Gansu pikas populations appear to be healthy. On the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List they are listed as a species of Least Concern. In CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild) they have no special status.

Gansu Pika Behavior

Gansu pikas are terricolous (live on the ground), diurnal (active during the daytime), motile (move around as opposed to being stationary), sedentary (remain in the same area), territorial (defend an area within the home range) and solitary. The size of their range territory is 520 to 4,000 square meters. square meters (5,600 to 43,055 square feet) .The home range of Gansu pikas varies during the year according to different phases of life and home range changes related to breeding periods. Home ranges are marked with scent from cheek and anal rubbing. Males have been observed in aggressive postures when other males show up at edges of their of home ranges. Allogrooming has been observed. Gansu pikas groom each other in the area of their head and ears, areas where ectoparasites may be concentrated. Allogrooming is usually brief and therefore is believed to a ritualized friendly activity not meant to fully clean the fur. [Source: Ryan Byrnes, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

range of Gansu pikas

Social organization in Gansu pikas is divided into four phases. 1) spring phase; 2) family phase; 3) rearrangement phase; and 4) winter phase. Litter emergence defines the spring phase, March to May. At this time home ranges for males expand to around 1230 square meters while female home ranges stay mainly stable at around 520 square meters. /=\

Ryan Byrnes wrote in Animal Diversity Web: The family phase is from May to August and is characterized by the existence of family structure caused by the philopatry of young within the home ranges of their parents. Once the young are weaned, they live near their natal burrow and gradually begin to disperse. At this time, the mother abandons the area and seldom encounters the young. During this phase both males and females expand the size of their home ranges. /=\

In the rearrangement phase, from August to September, there is rapid juvenile and subadult dispersal, the family structure during the reproductive period breaks down, and pairs form between males and females. During this time, female home ranges are stable, but subadult males become wanderers. In winter, or stable, phases, both male and female home ranges shrink (male 772.13 square meters, females 458.56 square meters). Overlap between male and female home ranges is increased, creating a pair-bond that is likely to last until the spring phase of the next year and ensures mating.

Gansu Pika Communication

Gansu pikas communicate with vision, touch, sound and chemicals usually detected by smelling. They also employ choruses (joint displays, usually with sounds, by individuals of the same or different groups to communicate) and scent marks produced by special glands and placed so others can smell and taste them. Gansu pikas use their vision to look out for predators. When two litter mates are together they often display body contact or play. When two males come close enough to be seen, the two males will often display warning postures and then chase or retreat into respective territories . [Source: Ryan Byrnes, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Like many other pikas (Ochotona), Gansu pikas make frequent, sharp calls. There were four types of called identified: 1) long calls; 2) short calls; 3) whines; and 4) trills. According to Animal Diversity Web: Long calls are used only by males and last about eight seconds. Other males ignored the male that was giving the call. It is speculated that this is a breeding call because it is used during the breeding season. Short calls are used by both sexes and sound like "kit". They are used as a predator warning call. Neighboring pikas respond strongly to the call, fleeing to cover or burrows. Short calls probably play important role in intra-population contact as well.

Trills are used by both sexes. They sound like "ki-ki", and occur at dusk and dawn. This call immediately triggers responses from other Gansu pikas, and are often intermingled with short calls as well. Whines consisted of one to three weak "ku-ku" calls. The caller was usually near the natal burrow. This call is believed to communicate anxiety in young pika and functions as mother-infant contact. When the call was heard by the mother, she went to her young and began to nurse them.

Forms of chemical communication include: 1) Cheek rubbing, which is seen only in males during the breeding season. The areas that were rubbed were areas that overlapped parts of another males home range. 2) Anus rubbing, also seen only in males during breeding season, it is thought to be a form of territorial (defend an area within the home range), marking, occuring when males are defecating. 3) Nasal-nasal or oral-nasal contact. This usually occurred when two individuals encountered each other. This behavior may be important for the two individuals to become familiar with each other’s odor and identity. This behavior is indicative of a intimate relationship between two individuals.

Gansu Pika Mating, Reproduction and Offspring

Gansu pikas are monogamous (having one mate at a time). polygynous (males have more than one female as a mate at one time) and polygynandrous (promiscuous, with both males and females having multiple partners). They engage in seasonal breeding, from April to August, and females have an estrous cycle, which is similar to the menstrual cycle of human females. The number of offspring per litter ranges from three to six. Gansu pikas can breed at least three times per year, resulting in nine to 18 young per year. The average gestation period is 20 days. On average males and females reach sexual or reproductive maturity at one year, however pikas less than one year old have been observed breeding. [Source: Ryan Byrnes, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Chinese researchers suggest Gansu pikas practice a facultative monogamy (a mating strategy where a male stays with a single female primarily due to the scarcity of other mating opportunities, not necessarily because a strong preference for that female). Polygynous activity appears to be more when the distribution of high-quality habitats varies and male independence from parental care and female estrus cycles occur at different times.

Gansu pikas construct their nest two to three hours before birth. The nest is about 15 centimeters ong and consists of dry grass and yak and sheep hair. Gansu pika are altricial, meaning that young are born relatively underdeveloped, but they develop very quickly, emerge from their burrows about 10 days after birth. The average weaning age is 18 days. Males are generally not involved in care for the young, even in monogamous pairs.

After the young are born the mother does not come back to the nest except to nurse. Nursing is "scheduled" and the mother and her young remain separate except during the nursing time. The mother nurses young about three to five times a day. The length of time taken to nurse is related to littler size. Gansu pika females have only two teats, therefore young in large litters have to wait their turn and the mother has stay longer her young to ensure they all get milk. Infrequent contact between the mother and her young may promote early dispersal and is perhaps related to the solitary habit of Gansu pikas.

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: Animal Diversity Web animaldiversity.org ; National Geographic, Live Science, Natural History magazine, David Attenborough books, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian magazine, Discover magazine, The New Yorker, Time, BBC, CNN, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, Wikipedia, The Guardian, Top Secret Animal Attack Files website and various books and other publications.

Last updated April 2025