Hoffmann's pika facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hoffmann's pika
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Lagomorpha
Family:	Ochotonidae
Genus:	Ochotona
Species:	O. hoffmanni
Binomial name
Ochotona hoffmanni Formozov, Yakhontov & Dmitriev, 1996
Hoffmann's pika range
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Synonyms
Ochotona alpina ssp. hoffmanni Formozov, Yakhontov & Dmitriev, 1996 Ochotona alpina ssp. nova

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Hoffmann's pika (Ochotona hoffmanni) is a small, furry mammal that belongs to the pika family. It lives only in Mongolia, which means it is endemic there. Sadly, this pika is currently listed as an endangered species by a group called the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This means it's at high risk of disappearing forever.

What's in a Name?

The word "pika" comes from the Evenks, a group of people from Siberia. They used this word to describe the special sounds pikas make to talk to each other. The scientific name for Hoffmann's pika, Ochotona, comes from the Mongolian word "ogdai," which is what Mongolians call pikas.

About Hoffmann's Pika

Physical Features

Hoffmann's pika is a small, furry animal, much like other pika species. It is usually about 12.5 to 13 centimeters (about 5 inches) long. It weighs between 70 and 300 grams (about 2.5 to 10.5 ounces).

These pikas have short, round ears that do not move much. Their short legs make them look a bit like an egg. When a Hoffmann's pika is born, it is helpless and either has no fur or just a little bit.

Their nostrils can close completely. They also have a very short tail that is hard to see. Their front paws have five toes, and their back paws have four. All their toes have curved claws and are covered in long hair, so only the toe pads show.

When they move quickly, like running, they walk on their toes. When they move slowly, they walk on their whole foot. Pikas have a fast metabolism, which means their bodies use energy quickly. Males and females are about the same size and look very similar.

Social Behavior

Unlike some other pikas, Hoffmann's pikas usually live alone. They are not very social. They rarely interact with each other unless they are a pair. These pairs will claim a territory together. They also share a special place where they store hay.

Hoffmann's pikas are very protective of their chosen talus, which is a sloping area covered in rocks. They especially defend their territory from other pikas of the same sex. Both male and female pikas mark their territory using special scents and loud calls. While pairs can defend their territory together, males are more likely to chase away intruders than females.

Feeding Habits

Hoffmann's pikas eat in a similar way to other Asian pikas, especially the Alpine pika. They gather plants by pulling them out of the ground with their mouths. Then, they carry the plants back to their territory. This behavior is called "haying."

Haying helps them save food for times when there isn't much vegetation around. However, Hoffmann's pikas can sometimes collect too much food, which might cause them to run out later.

What Do Pikas Eat?

Hoffmann's pikas are herbivores, which means they eat only plants. They eat many different kinds of plants, such as leaves, seeds, and stems of grasses and shrubs. Sometimes, they might even eat tiny amounts of animal matter.

They choose what to eat based on what is available, how much nutrition it has, and what they prefer. Hoffmann's pikas do not just eat one type of plant. They switch between different plants that are available. This helps keep the plant community healthy. Like other pikas, Hoffmann's pikas store plants in "haypiles" to eat during the cold winter months.

Reproduction and Life Cycle

Pikas generally breed twice a year, once in the spring and once in the summer. Many species will have two or more groups of babies each year. Rock-dwelling pikas, like Hoffmann's pika, are pregnant for about 30 days.

If a pika faces bad conditions, like not enough food, it might reabsorb its unborn babies. Young rock-dwelling pikas, including Hoffmann's pika, usually start having their own babies when they are one year old. It seems that Hoffmann's pikas usually have only one partner for breeding. Pikas, like all lagomorphs (which include rabbits and hares), have special scent glands.

Where Do They Live?

Distribution

Hoffmann's pikas are mainly found in Mongolia. Some reports also say they have been seen in the southeastern part of Russia.

Habitat

Hoffmann's pika prefers to live in rocky areas, such as inland cliffs and mountain peaks. They are a type of rock-dwelling pika, meaning they make their homes among rocks or under fallen logs. Other rock-dwelling pikas also prefer rocky areas and talus slopes. Hoffmann's pikas might also be found in old, moss-covered scree (a pile of loose rocks) or in burrows under tree roots.

Conservation and Threats

The biggest danger to Hoffmann's pika is climate change. Pikas are very sensitive to changes in temperature. They can die within six hours if the temperature goes above 25.5 degrees Celsius (about 78 degrees Fahrenheit).

Hoffmann's pika lives in a very small area, only about 600 square kilometers (about 230 square miles). This small living space makes them even more likely to become extinct. Even though the IUCN lists Hoffmann's pika as an endangered species, there are currently no known efforts to protect them. This might be because scientists are still trying to understand what would happen to the environment if Hoffmann's pika disappeared.

The IUCN suggests that more research is needed to find out how many Hoffmann's pikas there are and to gather other basic information about the species. This information is not available right now.