Pikas in Peril: Climate Change Threatens the Tiny Mammal
posted by: Peter Kobel 182 days ago
Peter Kobel
The American pika is a furry cousin of the rabbit—more like an overgrown hamster—with round ears and a short tail. The cute little mammal is adapted to the cool climates of boulder fields and alpine meadows on mountainsides in 10 Western states.
But when it comes to global warming, the pint-sized pika has become a canary in the coal mine. Pikas can’t tolerate temperatures above 80 degrees F or they quickly die of heat stress. With climate change, they are being forced to move farther up mountains, which greatly reduces their habitat.
According to Anthony D. Barnosky’s brilliant new book on climate change, Heatstroke, a quarter of pika populations have already gone extinct in the Great Basin mountains of Nevada and Oregon. As their sky island habitats become warmer, the pikas eventually—and literally—have nowhere to go.
In California, pikas are moving upslope in the Sierra Nevada mountains and disappearing from lower elevations. So the Tucson, Ariz.-based Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) took the California Fish and Game Commission to court to get it to list the pika as endangered. A few days ago, on June 25, California wildlife officials rejected CBD’s petition.
But there's still hope. CBD also petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to designate the pika as endangered. The Service has undertaken an in-depth, scientific review of how climate change may be putting the pika at risk. Protecting the pika under the federal Endangered Species Act would not only safeguard the species and its habitat from further harm. If the pika were to become the first mammal in the lower 48 states to gain endangered status because of global warming, it would send a clarion call for action on human-caused climate change.
Everyone concerned about protecting biodiversity, slowing climate change, and saving one small creature from extinction should take action and send a message to protect the American pika. Sign the Care2 petition to Congress and send a letter to the Fish and Wildlife Service, which is accepting public comments until July 6.
But when it comes to global warming, the pint-sized pika has become a canary in the coal mine. Pikas can’t tolerate temperatures above 80 degrees F or they quickly die of heat stress. With climate change, they are being forced to move farther up mountains, which greatly reduces their habitat.
According to Anthony D. Barnosky’s brilliant new book on climate change, Heatstroke, a quarter of pika populations have already gone extinct in the Great Basin mountains of Nevada and Oregon. As their sky island habitats become warmer, the pikas eventually—and literally—have nowhere to go.
In California, pikas are moving upslope in the Sierra Nevada mountains and disappearing from lower elevations. So the Tucson, Ariz.-based Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) took the California Fish and Game Commission to court to get it to list the pika as endangered. A few days ago, on June 25, California wildlife officials rejected CBD’s petition.
But there's still hope. CBD also petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to designate the pika as endangered. The Service has undertaken an in-depth, scientific review of how climate change may be putting the pika at risk. Protecting the pika under the federal Endangered Species Act would not only safeguard the species and its habitat from further harm. If the pika were to become the first mammal in the lower 48 states to gain endangered status because of global warming, it would send a clarion call for action on human-caused climate change.
Everyone concerned about protecting biodiversity, slowing climate change, and saving one small creature from extinction should take action and send a message to protect the American pika. Sign the Care2 petition to Congress and send a letter to the Fish and Wildlife Service, which is accepting public comments until July 6.
Read more: extinction, global warming, climate change, pika, environment & wildlife, center for biological diversity
comments
Save all living beings .
pat
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why is this inappropriate?
So much destruction, it often feels overwhelming ....it's good to hear that groups like the CBD and Care2 are taking action.
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why is this inappropriate?
what does listing them as endangered do to protect them I wonder? Not enough is the answer I fear.
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why is this inappropriate?
I believe every animal on this earth should be protected we need to stand up AMERICA and save our wonderful animals that roam our earth SAVE ALL ANIMALS
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why is this inappropriate?
All animals should be protected great or small and that is a fact!!!
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why is this inappropriate?
they are so cute they should be protected poor animals.
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why is this inappropriate?
Their plight isn't uncommon... and their story should highlight the dangers wildlife are continuing to face !
Also... "How cute !!!" :-)
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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
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