They make winter haystacks! Pikas spend all summer collecting thousands of flowers, grass, and leaves, drying them in the sun, then stacking them to store as winter food. They even steal mouthfuls of each others’ stacks if no one is watching! 🌸

They’re tiny but loud! Their sharp “eep” calls can be heard from 100 feet away to warn other pikas about danger. 📣

They’re smaller than a ruler! The biggest pikas are only 9 inches long and weigh less than a pound. Even though they look like mice, they’re actually closer to rabbits! 🐰

They live at extreme heights! Pikas survive in the Rocky Mountains and Himalayas, even above where trees grow! They are one of the few mammals that live their whole lives at over 13,000 feet. 🏔️

They live in rock castles! They hide in cracks and tunnels between rocks, using them as escape routes and storage rooms. 🏰

They hate the heat! Their thick fur keeps them warm, but makes hot weather dangerous. They stay cool by hiding in rock gaps where chilly air collects like natural air-conditioning! 🥵

They don’t hibernate! Pikas stay active all winter, eating the food they stored during summer. 🏃

They’re super organized! One pika can gather plants from hundreds of spots, building a haystack over 3 feet wide and weighing up to 60 pounds! They even sort the plants by type and by which ones they need to eat first! 🌱

Their teeth never stop growing! Like rabbits, they must chew tough mountain plants to keep their teeth from getting to long. 🦷

Snow can keep them warm! A thick snow layer acts like a blanket over their rocky homes, keeping the temperature underneath the snow steady even when the air above it is freezing. ❄️