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The history of O. pusilla can be traced back to the end of the Pliocene where it originated in Asia. At the end of the Pleistocene this species had a much wider range than it does today because steppes were more widespread. The species is currently restricted to steppe environments. Because of this, the species has lost a lot of habitat when humans have moved into their range.
Ochotona pusilla emit vocalizations which sound like a whistle. In some languages the translation of pika to English means "Whistling Hare". It is likely that there is some form of tactile communication, especially between mother and young and between mates.
Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Other Communication Modes: scent marks
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Ochotona pusilla is protected in at least one protected nature reserve, the Orenburgskiy reserve in the Belayevskiy region of Orenburg area, the South Urals.
The steppe pika is listed on the IUCN Red List as vulnerable but it is not protected under CITES.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
There are no known adverse affects of O.pusilla on humans.
Ochotona pusilla is of little economic importance for humans due to the remoteness of the areas occupied by this species.
Although no specific predators were mentioned in any of the literature, one can hypothesize O. pusilla is a prey species due to the fact it is a small herbivore with explosive population growth potential. Because of their foraging behavior, it is likely that they have some impact on vegetational growth.
The diet of a steppe pika consists primarily of different types of grasses. They will cache dried grass in "haystacks." Individuals are reported to sometimes "raid" the haystacks of others. These caches of food are not enough to sustain an individual over the winter, so these animals are forced to forage at all times of the year.
Plant Foods: leaves; seeds, grains, and nuts
Foraging Behavior: stores or caches food
Primary Diet: herbivore (Folivore )
Ochotona pusilla is distributed in central Eurasia from the Volga River and southern Ural Mountains in the north to the Irtysh River on the south side of its range. Two countries, Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation, contain all populations of this species.
Biogeographic Regions: palearctic
Steppe pikas are found in temperate steppe grasslands where they excavate burrows for shelter. The grassland vegetation consists of dense, lush grasses and occasional bushes.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland
No information for lifespan/longevity is available on this species, but in O. princeps the maximum lifespan is 7 years. Because O. pusilla has a much higer reproductive rate, it is likely that they do not live as long as this other species in their genus.
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 4.0 years.
The average length of O. pusilla is 15 cm. Although the weight of this species is not reported, the members of the genus are known to be 125 to 400 g. Males and females are the same size, and the two are difficult to distinguish. They have the same fur coloring: grayish brown on the back and white on the belly. The tail is not visible. The head is short, with ears that are small and rounded. All four legs are approximately the same length, although the back are slightly longer than the front pair. The five fingers and toes on each foot are well insulated by a dense covering of fur on the bottom of the feet. They have twenty-six teeth.
Average length: 15 cm.
Sexual Dimorphism: sexes alike
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Average mass: 262.5 g.
No information is available for rates of predation on this species. However, based on their explosive reproduction, O. pusilla is likely an important food item for a variety of carnivores and birds of prey.
This information is not known for this species. However, other species in the genus appear to be monogamous or polygynous, with males extending territories to overlap those of one or more females during the breeding season. Some species may be gregarious, living in colonies through much of the year. However, this information seems to be suspect, and the colonies that have been viewed may really represent family groups.
Mating System: monogamous ; polygynous
Steppe pika litter sizes range from one to thirteen, averaging between eight and nine. An adult female may produce three to five litters per year during the spring and summer. Male pikas reach sexual maturity at one year of age while a female can mature in four to five weeks and have up to three litters by autumn.
Gestation period for O. pusilla has not been reported, but is probably similar to the 30 days reported for other species in the genus. Weaning in other Ochotona species is reported to occur by 30 days of age.
Newborn picas are reported to weigh about 9 g. They are naked and helpless at birth, but grow quickly. In some species, the young are ready to disperse by approximately 30 days of age.
Breeding interval: Steppe pikas breed 3 to 5 times during the spring and summer.
Breeding season: The breeding season spans the spring and summer months.
Range number of offspring: 3 to 13.
Average number of offspring: 8.5.
Range gestation period: 20 to 24 days.
Range weaning age: 20 to 22 days.
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 4 to 5 weeks.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 1 years.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization ; viviparous
Average birth mass: 9 g.
Average number of offspring: 8.
The extent of parental care in steppe pikas includes mothers nursing their offspring, and providing protection for them in the form of a burrow. After being weaned, the young will be forced to fend for themselves.
Parental Investment: no parental involvement; altricial ; pre-fertilization (Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female)
The steppe pika (Ochotona pusilla) is a small mammal of the pika family, Ochotonidae. It is found in the steppes of southern Russia and northern Kazakhstan.
Ochotonidae includes only one genus - Ochotona, formed by 30 living species. Like rodents, pikas have chisel-like incisor teeth, but they also have a second pair of incisors in the upper jaw, followed by two molar teeth in the upper jaw and three molar teeth in the lower jaw. Pikas have no canines. Their teeth grow throughout their life and they need to be worn down. The anatomical structure of the lower jaw bone makes it possible to move the jaw both up and down and sideways. Pikas have sharp senses, they can smell, hear and see very well. Their fibular bone has partially accreted with the tibia. They have five digits on their limbs and pads on feet and toes. Pikas are not hibernating animals.
The steppe pika is usually 14.5-18.5 cm long. The tail is reduced, and the short round ears have a lighter lining. The fur is taupe, with lighter hair ends. The coat becomes lighter in winter. Pikas give birth to up to 13 young in a litter, three to five times a year. The size of the litter may depend on the size of population in the area. One of the most distinctive characteristics of the steppe pika is its short, high-pitched alarm call, which gives the animal the name of the "whistling hare".
The steppe pika has been called a relict of Late Pliocene faunas on the basis of its fossil record, molar structure, karyological traits, and mtDNA sequence data.[2]
Steppe pikas can be found in Central Asia, east of the Urals throughout southern Russia and northern Kazakhstan. During the Pleistocene its range was larger and included most of Europe. It survived in the Carpathian basin until the end of the Chalcolithic,[2] in the middle Urals until the Middle Holocene, and in the southern Urals until the Late Holocene.[3]
Steppe pika inhabits steppes covered by high grasses and bushes, where it finds shelter from its natural enemies, such as: foxes, corsacs, Turkestan polecats, ermine and other predators. Another of its niches is foothill of river valleys. Unlike other species of the family of pikas, Ochotona pusilla is a nocturnal creature. It is normally heard but not seen. The males emit a long series of low trills and the females do also sing to attract males and respond to other females.[4] It lives in a flock, dwelling systems of underground passages with several openings. Pikas feed on soft parts of juicy plants and low shrubs, near its dens. One of its favorite plants is wormwood. Due to the fact it doesn’t hibernate during winter, early (from June) it begins to gather grass, and dry it formed in haystacks. In the late autumn it moves the haystacks to the main chamber of its den.
The steppe pika inhabits only flatlands. Its fossil record in mountain areas is always linked to owl pellets and not indicative of the pika's past habits. Pikas are generally regarded as an excellent indicator of the health of steppe ecosystems, as they strictly avoid human disturbance.[2]
A decrease has been noted in the population of pikas, caused by climate changes and expanding agriculture. The pica has been included in the list of potentially endangered species but is classified as “least concern”. One of the places where it is protected is Orenburgsky Zapovednik. A growing pika population may have a local impact on vegetation through feeding.
The steppe pika (Ochotona pusilla) is a small mammal of the pika family, Ochotonidae. It is found in the steppes of southern Russia and northern Kazakhstan.
