Plateau pika

Plateau pika
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Ochotonidae
Genus: Ochotona
Species:
O. curzoniae
Binomial name
Ochotona curzoniae
(Hodgson, 1858)
Plateau pika range

The plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae), also known as the black-lipped pika, is a species of mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae.

It is a small diurnal and non-hibernating mammal weighing about 140 g (4.9 oz) when fully grown. The animals are reddish tan on the top-side with more of a whitish yellow on their under-belly.

They prefer to live in elevations of 3,100 to 5,000 m (10,200 to 16,400 ft), mostly in the Tibetan Plateau, which is where the common name originates from. The species is found in China, India, and Nepal in high alpine deserts, steppe and meadows, as well as tropical and subtropical montane forests.[1]

  1. ^ a b Smith, A.T.; Liu, S. (2019) [amended version of 2016 assessment]. "Ochotona curzoniae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T41258A160699229. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T41258A160699229.en.