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American Pika

“Among the smallest yet most charismatic of Colorado’s wildlife, the American pika is the alpinist cousin of the cottontail rabbit. Pikas have adapted to life at the roof of the Rockies, nearly exclusively inhabiting steep rock fields above tree line. If you’ve ever had the privilege to traverse such terrain, you have likely heard the terse shrieks pikas emit to locate each other among the boulders and warn of nearby predators. Despite the long, bitter cold of mountain winters, these animals do not hibernate, opting instead for a behavior called ‘haying’ in which the industrious pika amasses huge larders of dried summer grasses for consumption during the snowy months. For their busybody nature and general bravery in the presence of people, pikas are one of my favorite wild subjects to photograph. This image was taken in June atop Arapahoe Pass in the Indian Peaks Wilderness, when the pika’s haying season is just beginning.”