News: Royle’s pika of the Himalayan highlands which goes about its life unaware that scientists now view it as a sentinel of climate change.
About Royle’s pika (Ochotona roylei)
- Royle’s pika is also called the Himalayan mouse hare or hui shutu is a species of pika.
- Scientific name: Ochotona roylei
- Habitat: They commonly inhabit rocky mountain slopes, open rocky edges, and forests dominated by conifer trees.
- Distribution: Their distribution spans the Himalayan region, extending from northwestern Pakistan through Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh in India, and into Nepal and Tibet.
- Characteristics
- They have a slightly arched head, a rufous-grey body, a chestnut-colored head, and sparse hair in front of their ears.
- They measure about 17–22 centimetres in length.
- They are a crepuscular species, meaning it is most active during early morning and evening hours and remains inactive during midday to avoid heat stress.
- They do not build its own burrows but uses natural crevices, narrow cracks, and existing burrow systems.
- Unlike many mountain mammals, they do not hibernate.
- Diet: They are herbivore and folivore, feeding mainly on grasses, leaves, and other plant materials.
- Ecological Role: They play a vital role in high-altitude food webs as they are important prey species for predators especially during harsh winters when other prey is scarce.
- Conservation Status: IUCN: Least Concern
- Threat: Habitat loss and human habitation in hilly areas.
