Most pikas rely strongly on vocalizations for communication. In contrast, red pikas are not very vocal. They do not have a typical alarm call to warn of approaching predators. Instead, red pikas will hide under rocks from their predators. In some cases they have been heard making chattering sounds, similar to the call of Ochotona hyperborea, while hiding from a predator. It has also been observed that mates will make chirping sounds when they meet. Pikas also secrete scent from a scent gland to mark their territories.
Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Other Communication Modes: scent marks
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Despite their small population, there is nothing that suggests that red pika populations are declining (Smith et al. 1990). Also, Ochotona rutila is not listed under CITES or IUCN. However, there has been little study to date on red pikas.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
There are no known negative effects of red pikas on humans.
As non-burrowing pikas that do not graze on agricultural crops, red pikas have been of little to no economic importance for humans. The home ranges of red pikas tend to be larger than those of other talus-dwelling pikas because of their particular food habits, feeding only on vegetation found within two meters of a rocky substrate. As a result, populations of red pikas tend to have very low densities and would therefore not be of economic importance to fur harvesters or a hindrance to farmers (Smith et al. 1990).
As previously stated, pikas are an important food source for many local predators, including birds of prey, canids, and weasels. Although red pika populations tend to be small and well dispersed, they remain a common food source for predators such as short-tailed weasels (Mustela erminea). Pikas can also act as an important food source for local artiodactyl populations who will feed on their hay stacks in the winter if they can be found (Smith et al. 1990)
Commensal/Parasitic Species:
Red pikas are herbivores and feed on the blossoms, green leaves, and young shoots of grasses and other plants when available. Red pikas have been observed eating Epilobium and wild cranesbill (Ognev, 1940). In the fall, when green food becomes unavailable, they will switch their diets to more woody debris (Angermann, 1975). As a non-hibernating species, pika need to ensure they can access enough food during winter months when food is scarce. They do this by collecting grasses in hay piles throughout the late summer and early fall that they will eat during winter months. To avoid risk of predation red pikas do not forage more than two meters from talus areas. They feed mainly from small outcroppings of vegetation growing between stones. In order to have an adequate food supply, red pikas have larger home ranges than other talus-dwelling pikas (Smith et al. 1990).
Plant Foods: leaves; wood, bark, or stems; flowers
Foraging Behavior: stores or caches food
Primary Diet: herbivore (Folivore , Lignivore)
Ochotona rutila occurs east of the Caspian Sea within the mountain ranges of Tien Shan, Pamir, Kirgiz, and Gissar. Their range extends from southeast Russian Turkestan to northern Afghanistan.
Biogeographic Regions: palearctic (Native )
Ochotona rutila is present at elevations between 2000 m and 3000 m (Corbet, 1978). Habitat types range from spruce forests to sub alpine meadows (Ognev, 1940). Their distribution is patchy, with individuals or pair groups occupying large home ranges. In general, pika species inhabit one of two different habitat types, although overlap does occur. Talus-dwelling pikas are commonly found on steep, rocky slopes, while burrowing pikas live in grasslands, shrub habitats and/or forests (Smith, 1981). Ochotona rutila is a talus-dwelling species, inhabiting rock dominated environments at moderate elevations. The weather within their range is characterized by cold and rainy summers and snowy winters (Angermann, 1975). Snow depth can have a significant effect on winter survival rates of red pikas, possibly affecting the range at which they are found. This would explain why red pikas are not found at elevations greater than 3,000 m (Ognev 1940, Bernstein 1963 as cited in Smith et al. 1990) as snow levels above this elevation may become too deep to access food. However, moderate levels of snow are needed for insulation during winter months (Angermann, 1975). The preferred habitat for red pikas is a moderate, rocky slope with vegetation growing between large stones at an elevation between 2,000 and 3,000 m. A breeding pair will use the largest stones for their shelter (Smith et al. 1990).
Range elevation: 2000 to 3000 m.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; mountains
Red pikas live for approximately 3 years. Other talus-dwelling species have been found to live for up to 6 years. Approximately 22% of juveniles survive their second winter (Angermann, 1975).
Typical lifespan
Status: wild: 3 (high) years.
The morphology and body mass of Ochotona species is similar. However, it has been speculated that the length of vibrissae and the shape and thickness of claws can distinguish talus-dwelling pikas from burrowing pikas (Smith et al. 1990). Talus-dwelling pikas are thought to have longer vibrissae while burrowing pikas have straighter, more powerful claws (Smith et al. 1990). As a talus-dwelling pika, red pikas have relatively long vibrissae, ranging in length from 80 to 94 mm (Ognev, 1940) Males and females are monomorphic, with females being only slightly heavier than males while carrying their young. Both males and females have a cloaca that must be everted in order to determine their gender (Duke, 1951, Krear, 1965). The average weight of red pikas is unknown. Turkestan red pikas have two molts per year that vary in color seasonally. The summer coats of red pikas are described by Smith as “a rich rust-reddish dorsally with a more yellow cinnamon-buff tinge on the flanks" (Smith et al. 1990). Red pika pelts have a distinctive wide, cream colored collar behind the ears that narrows dorsally. In contrast, their winter coat is gray with dark brown spots (Ognev, 1940). The pelage of juvenile red pikas is indistinguishable from their parent's 20 days after birth. Ochotona erythrotis, an allospecies formerly synonomized with Ochotona rutila, can be easily distinguished from red pikas based on the presence of frontal fenestrae. Red pika skulls do not have frontal fenestrae (Ognev, 1940).
Range mass: 100 to 400 g.
Range length: 215 to 230 mm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: sexes alike
Pikas have many predators, including birds of prey, canids, and weasels. One species that specializes on the predation of red pikas is Mustela erminea, short-tailed weasels. Where they overlap with red pikas, 19% of short-tailed weasel scat has been found to contain red pika fur (Sludskiy and Strautman, 1980). Possibly in response to predation, red pikas do not forage farther than two meters from the edge of the talus.
Known Predators:
Both male and female red pikas reach sexual maturity at approximately one year of age. Once sexually active, pikas often pair with individuals in nearby territories. Interactions between partners can be very physical, appearing as long boxing sessions (Smith et al. 1990). Asian talus-dwelling pikas are unique from those found in North American in that a breeding pair will defend a shared territory instead of having individual territories (Smith, 1981). It is unknown, however, whether breeding pairs remain monogamous through out their life. Red pikas breed seasonally in spring and summer months.
Mating System: monogamous
Talus-dwelling pikas characteristically have a low reproduction rate. Red pikas commonly have 2 to 3 litters per year with 2 to 6 young (average 4.2) per litter (Smith et al. 1990). Young are born covered with hair (Angermann, 1975). They gain their hearing after nine days and are able to see after 13 to 14 days. Young become independent of their parents after 20 days (Angermann, 1975) and will become sexually mature the following spring (Bernstein 1964 as cited in Smith et al. 1990).
Breeding interval: Red pikas breed 2 to 3 times per year during during the spring to summer season.
Breeding season: The specific time of year in which mating occurs is unknown. Mating can occur in spring and summer months as a female can have multiple litters per year.
Range number of offspring: 2 to 6.
Average number of offspring: 4.2.
Average time to independence: 20 days.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 1 years.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 1 years.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous
Juvenile red pikas receive biparental care, having both the male and female of the breeding pair participate in rearing of offspring. Young are weaned from their parents after they are approximately 20 days old (Angermann, 1975). They may remain on their parents’ territory during their first summer, feeding on their parents’ food stores. However, after dispersing, juveniles can be challenged by adults and may therefore try to avoid all contact with adults until after they have established their own territories (Smith, 1981).
Parental Investment: precocial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Male, Female)
The Turkestani red pika (Ochotona rutila) is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae. The summer fur at its back is bright rufous and the ventral fur is white or ochraceous. The winter dorsal fur is pale brown and the ventral fur is white or light ochraceous in colour. It is found in the mountains of western Xinjiang in China, and sporadically also in the central Asian mountains in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The female has a low fertility rate, and gives birth to offspring during the breeding season from spring to summer. She generally produces two litters each year, with two to six young. It is rated as a species of least concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Endangered Species, but it is considered to be near-threatened within the China part of its range.
The Turkestan red pika is one of the 30 recognized species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae.[2][a] It was first described by the Russian naturalist Nikolai Alekseevich Severtzov in 1873.[3] In 1951, Ellerman and Morrison-Scott included the Chinese red pika (Ochotona erythrotis) and the Glover's pika (Ochotona gloveri) as subspecies of the Turkestan red pika. Multiple authors (Gureev in 1964; Weston in 1982; Feng and Zheng in 1985; and Feng, Cai, and Zheng in 1988) have since separated them as independent species, based on their colouration, zoogeography (branch of the science of biogeography that is concerned with the present and past geographic distribution of animal species), and skull morphology.[4] The mammalogists Robert S. Hoffmann and Andrew T. Smith listed the Turkestan red pika as a species in the third edition of Mammal Species of the World that was published in 2005.[3] Currently, it has no recognized subspecies.[1][3]
The Turkestan red pika measures 19.6 to 23 cm (7.7 to 9.1 in) in length, of which 9.5 to 11 cm (3.7 to 4.3 in) is the tail. It weighs 220 to 320 g (7.8 to 11.3 oz).[5] The skull is large, measuring 4.6 to 5.3 cm (1.8 to 2.1 in) in length, and is moderately arched, and has broad and flat interorbital region (region of the skull is located between the eyes, anterior to the upper and back part of the skull).[5][4] The frontal bone has no alveolus (hollow cavity in bone. Not the same structure as a pulmonary alveolus) above it. The front portion of the nasal cavities are noticeably inflated, and are usually longer than the middle part of the frontal bone. It has 2.7 to 2.9 cm (1.1 to 1.1 in) long ears which have grayish black dorsal sides. The summer dorsal fur is bright rufous, and it is white-spotted at the neck behind the ears, and the spots sometimes form a broad, yellowish white collar.[5] The flanks (sides of the body between the rib cage and the uppermost and largest part of the hip bone) have yellowish cinnamon-buff tinge.[4] The ventral fur is white or ochraceous in colour, but the chest has a rust-red transverse stripe. The winter dorsal fur is pale brown and the ventral fur is white or light ochraceous in colour. The hindfeet are 3.6 to 3.9 cm (1.4 to 1.5 in) long. The anterior palatine foramen (funnel-shaped opening in the bony plate of the skull, located in the roof of the mouth, immediately behind the incisor teeth where blood vessels and nerves pass) and the palatal foramen are combined.[5]
In contrast with most other pikas, the Turkestan red pika is a quiet species, and is also commonly known as the "silent" pika. It has no alarm calls and no song vocalizations. In alarm conditions, it takes cover under rocks and emits a chattering call which is similar to that of the northern pika (Ochotona hyperborea) and two subspecies of the alpine pika, O. a. cinereofusca, and O. a. scorodumovi. Individuals belonging to the same species are alerted by this signal.[4]
The region of Turkestan is present in central Asia between the Gobi Desert and the Caspian Sea, and comprises Xinjiang, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.[6] The Turkestan red pika is found in the mountains in western Xinjiang in China,[5] and sporadically in the central Asian mountains such as the Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan, and the Tien Shan Mountains in southeastern Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and southeastern Kazakhstan.[1] It is also probably found in northern Afghanistan.[4] It is considered to be commonly found in the Iskanderkul Lake area of Tajikistan, and the Great Alma-Ata Lake area in Kazakhstan.[1] Its range is allopatric with that of the Chinese red pika.[4]
It is a rock-dwelling pika which usually inhabits talus deposits (collection of broken rock pieces at the base of cliffs, volcanoes, or valley shoulders, accumulated due to periodic rockfall from adjacent cliff faces) and takes shelter in large boulders.[1][5] It is typically found at moderate elevations of less than 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) from sea level,[5] despite the availability of the talus environment.[4]
The Turkestan red pika is a diurnal species, and is more active at dusk than at dawn.[1] It lives in families consisting of the adult male, adult female and, during the reproductive season, their young. The population levels tend to remain constant each year. It has a low population density of 12 to 20 individuals, or 3 to 3.5 families, per hectare. Adjacent family territory centres are generally separated by 50 to 100 m (160 to 330 ft), but can be as close as 20 to 30 m (66 to 98 ft).[4] Like other pika species, it is a generalist herbivore, and stores vegetation in the form of hayplies (piles of grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that serve as animal fodder).[5] However, unlike most other pikas, it does not feed in open meadows, but in an area of within 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) from the talus-vegetation edge. They have wide home ranges and can find sufficient food, as the vegetation on the talus is widely dispersed.[4]
The female has a low fertility rate, and generally produces two litters each year, with two to six (averaging 4.2) young, during the breeding season from spring to summer.[4] The offspring are not reproductively active in their birth summer.[5] Throughout much of the summer after their birth, the young live with their parents and forage on vegetation stored by them. During the following winter most juveniles live with their parents. The adult male and the female are rarely seen together during autumn, even though they have a mutual home range.[4]
The stoat (Mustela erminea) is a major predator, and 19% of its feces were found to contain furs of the Turkestan red pika.[4]
Since 1996, the Turkestan red pika is rated as a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. This is because although it has a patchy distribution, it is a widespread species in suitable habitat. It also has a stable population trend. There are no known major threats to the species, although low population density and low fertility rates are possible reasons for concern. At one time it used to be trapped for its fur, but that practice has now stopped.[1] It is considered a near threatened species by the Chinese authorities in its distribution in that country.[1]
The Turkestani red pika (Ochotona rutila) is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae. The summer fur at its back is bright rufous and the ventral fur is white or ochraceous. The winter dorsal fur is pale brown and the ventral fur is white or light ochraceous in colour. It is found in the mountains of western Xinjiang in China, and sporadically also in the central Asian mountains in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The female has a low fertility rate, and gives birth to offspring during the breeding season from spring to summer. She generally produces two litters each year, with two to six young. It is rated as a species of least concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Endangered Species, but it is considered to be near-threatened within the China part of its range.
