Ochotona princeps (pika)

The American pika (Ochotona princeps) is a small lagomorph that inhabits rocky alpine and subalpine terrain across the western mountains of North America. Pikas are highly specialized for life above treeline, where they occupy scree fields and talus slopes with dense vegetation nearby. Unlike many alpine mammals, pikas do not hibernate; instead, they spend summer and fall gathering and drying vegetation into haypiles, which they store in rocky crevices to sustain them through the long mountain winter. Found throughout the high elevations of the Cascade Range, including Mount Rainier National Park, pikas are sensitive indicators of climate change, as rising temperatures can compress their narrow thermal tolerance zone and reduce suitable habitat.