Have you ever heard about the Ili Pika, the tiny animal that lives in the remote, mountainous area of the Tian Shan Province in northwestern China? No? That’s not surprising! It is one of the most mysterious animals in China, given its low population and its wild character. However, a team of Chinese scientists managed to film and photograph the small rodent in June 2018.
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An unfamiliar animal
The little ball of brown fur was first seen by Weidong LI, a member of the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, in 1983. However, it was only officially acknowledged to be a new species two years later, in 1985.
But following this discovery, this small rodent that feeds exclusively on plants had not been seen for twenty long years. This was despite several scientific campaigns devoted exclusively to the research and study of Ili Pika.
New observation
In 2014, a wonderful photograph was taken by Weidong, showing to the wider world that this adorable rodent (Ochotana Iliensis to close friends) does actually exist.
After decades of tiresome research, the Chinese scientist finally came across one. The twenty-centimeter long animal, which weighs no more than 200 grams, crashed into the man’s boots as he was walking through its dry and steep habitat.
Then, as if nothing had happened, the Pika sat on a stone, long enough for the naturalist to take a photo of it. It was on this very occasion that it was nicknamed ‘ the magic rabbit’.
From discovery to discovery
According to the National Geographic, it was this unexpected encounter that prompted Weidong Li’s team to install infrared cameras and other photographic traps in the area where he came across the small animal. Andrew Smith, another Ili Pika specialist, explained that what they managed to capture on film in China will help science to understand the animal better. For example, what it eats, how it lives, how they are distributed etc.
An endangered animal
The main reason why it is so important to understand the Ili Pika better is because it is in danger. The adorable rodent has been classed as ‘Endangered’ on the UCN's infamous red list. According to Andrew Smith and Weidong Li, there can’t be any more than 2000 Pika living in the wild.
This is a figure that could go down even further due to climate change and man made changes in its natural habitat. Thirty years ago, the Ili Pika lived at between 27000 and 3350 meters altitude, whereas today, the range is around 3960 meters above sea level. This indicates that global warming is pushing more and more of the animals to flee the plains and lower altitudes in search of a colder climate.
