I have been to Crater Lake several times and never spotted one of these critters, but with the amazing lake to look at a person could easily overlook the pika. The pika,aka rock rabbit or cony are only found in the western part of North America. Despite the nickname they don't look much like their cousin the rabbit. They have small rounded ears,no tail and bodies about the size of a tennis ball. They are the smallest member of the rabbit family,and it is believed they evolved from a Siberian critter that crossed the former land bridge between Asia and Alaska. They eat flowers,grasses and other plants which they store in haystacks which are easier to spot that the pikas themselves. They sound like a dog's squeaky toy when they vocalize. Their ability to keep their bodies warm in fierce conditions now may pose a threat to the pika. They are not yet listed as endangered,but they are being studied to determine if climate changes will effect them.
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