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Wildlife American Pika Page
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American Pika
Ochotona princeps
Habitat: They are restricted to alpine tundra and subalpine forests in areas adjacent to alpine grasses, forbs, and sedges. Occasionally, pikas use burrows or woodpiles for cover (Pruitt 1954).
Diet: Leaves and stems of forbs and shrubs constitute 78-87 percent of the diet, with alpine avens, clovers, and sedges as important components (D. R. Johnson 1967). Needles of conifers and bark of several woody species are also eaten.
Description: Small and grayish brown, with short, rounded ears and no visible tail. The ventral surface is paler than the dorsum while the hindlimbs are not elongated and are only slightly longer than the forelimbs. Measurements are: total length 162-216 mm; length of hindfoot 25-35 mm; length of ear 19-25 mm; weight 120-250 g.
Range in Colorado: Pikas are distributed throughout the higher mountains on talus slopes above 3,000 m (10,000 ft).
Status: This species is not listed.
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Species Occurrence Tool
(*) NDIS has no county occurrence data for fish at this time.
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