Ochotona princeps Skull Replica measures 1.7 inches. Ochotona princeps Skull Replica is museum quality polyurethane cast. 2-part skull (separate cranium & jaw). Made in USA. Cast of an original California Academy of Sciences specimen. Known as American Pica.
The American pika or Ochotona princeps, known in the 19th century as the “little chief hare”, has a small, round, ovate body.
Their body length ranges from 162 to 216 mm (6.4 to 8.5 in). Their hind feet range from 25 to 35 mm (1–1½ in). They usually weigh about 170 g (6.0 oz). Body size can vary among populations.
The Ochotona princeps is intermediate in size among pikas. The hind legs of the pika do not seem to be much longer than its front legs and its hind feet are relatively short when compared to most other lagomorphs.
It has densely furred soles on its feet except for black pads at the ends of the toes. The ears are moderately large and sub-orbicular and are hairy on both surfaces, normally dark with white margins.
The American pika or Ochotona princeps live in high elevations of southwest Canada and western USA.
The Ochotona princeps is a generalist herbivore. It eats a large variety of green plants, including different kinds of grasses, sedges, thistles, and fireweed.
Although a pika can meet its water demand from the vegetation eaten, it does drink water if it is available in its environment.
Ochotona princeps have two different ways of foraging; they directly consume food (feeding) or they cache food in haypiles to use for a food source in the winter (haying). They feed throughout the year while haying is limited to the summer.
Since they do not hibernate, they have greater energy demands than other montane mammals.
They also make 13 trips per hour to collect vegetation when haying, up to a little over 100 trips per day. The timing of haying seems to correlate to the amount of precipitation from the previous winter.
Pikas or Ochotona princeps are vocal, using both calls and songs to warn when predators are nearby and during the breeding season. Predators of the pika include eagles, hawks, coyotes, bobcats, foxes, and weasels.
Recent studies suggest populations in the southwestern United States are declining due to habitat loss and global warming. However, the American pika is overall considered a species of Least Concern, and is still common in the northwestern United States and Canada.
