Type: Mammal Lives In: Asia, North America, Eastern Europe Conservation Status: Various
Why They Are Awesome: They're twitchy little balls of fluff!
Wednesday 20 July 2011
Awesome Nature #4
Pika
I first discovered this amusing little creature in an episode of the BBC's fantastic Planet Earth series where several of them were shown frantically trying to outwit a predatory Mongolian wolf. It actually turns out that there are as many as thirty different species of them who mostly live in various cold, rocky places across much of the northern hemisphere. Many are not endangered (yet) but sadly some are critically so. The pictured species is a Hoffman's Pika which lives on the barren Mongolian steppe but other species differ in appearance a little, ranging from 6-9 inches long with small limbs and tail. Most of them look a little like rabbits so it's no surprise to find that they come from the same family. Regardless of what they're related to though, they're still one of my new favourite animals. After all, anything that can put a smile on ones face simply by existing must be good!
Why They Are Awesome: They're twitchy little balls of fluff!
Why They Are Awesome: They're twitchy little balls of fluff!
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I had the same reaction to seeing that docu.
ReplyDeleteI think it was the soundman-with-squeeky-toy noise they make that got me smiling most.
Everything about them is insanely cute, a cross between mouse and bunny that goes round gathering flowers and squeeking a wonderfully silly noise. World needs more of them.