The Ili Pika is one of the cutest creatures in the world. But they are in extreme danger. It is possible that in the next few years, the Ili Pika might not exist anymore!
The Ili Pika was first discovered in 1983 by Li Weidong. It was formerly known as “Ochotona iliensis” and a native to a very remote Xinjiang region of northwestern China. These creatures are adorable. They look like teddy bears and have less than 1,000 in population. He watched as the numbers start to decline dramatically since then.
According to Li’s estimate, the population of the Ili Pika declined by 70% since 1983. “I discovered the species, and I watched as it became endangered. If it becomes extinct in front of me, I’ll feel so guilty.”
This creature is a relative of the rabbits and they were put on the endangered species list in 2008. Sadly, there was no conservative group or anyone who researches protecting the Ili Pika. These teddy bear lookalike creatures are just below 8 inches long and they usually live in the high elevations of the mountains. These fluffy mammals feed on grass and because of global warming, the Ili Pikas started to disappear. Li suspects that the rising temperatures caused the snow level to be higher and higher, that forced the Ili Pikas to move up the mountains.
Before, these animals can be found at around 10,500 to 11,000 feet elevations. These days, they are living around 13,450 feet altitudes of the mountains!
When Li first discovered the Ili Pikas, his estimation of its population was around 2,900. But today, the ones left are just about a third of the original population. This is why Li decided to take the research and the conservation efforts into his own hands.
In 2014, Li organized a group of 20 volunteers to help him track the Ili Pikas. They did a population estimate. The group even dubbed these fluffy creatures, “Magic Rabbit.” Li spent over $23,000 out of his pocket to fund the research of the Ili Pikas. He also received occasional grants from the World Wide Fund for Nature. Even though he is receiving and have enough funds for the research, what upsets him is the lack of recognition of the grave danger that the Ili Pikas are facing today.
He said, “This tiny species could be extinct any time. They don’t exist in the sites where they used to be anymore. I’m almost 60, and soon I won’t be able to climb the Tianshan Mountains,” Li said. “So I hope that an organization will have people study and protect the Ili Pika.”
Li never stopped encouraging and pressing for the establishment of nature reserve specifically for the Ili Pikas. But he thinks that lately, nobody seemed to hear his plea.
Tell the world about the Ili Pikas and how endangered they are these days. This way, we can somehow help spread the word and maybe touch the hearts of those who have the power to provide them a nature reserve to save these mammals. Li and his team, as well as the rest of the world who knows about the Ili Pika, are hoping that it will not be too late to save them.
