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American Pika

American Pika line art illustration (click image to enlarge)

American Pika full color illustration (click image to enlarge)

Artist's notes:

The American Pika was completed on 1.16.2012. While camping in the Sierra Nevadas of California, I took a hike early one morning. I heard, at some distance, a faint peeping sound. I followed it, and came across a pika, which I had known about but never seen in the wild. The proud little mammal sat atop a rock, and peeped out loudly into the morning air. Since that time, I've wanted to draw one of these charming little animals, and when I found a good reference photo from Greg Forcey I finally got the chance.

Information about the American Pika:

The American Pika is native to the mountains of the western United States and Canada, usually living in large boulder fields at or above the tree line. They are about 6-8 inches long (162 to 216 millimeters) and generally weigh about 6 ounces (170 grams.) Despite looking similar to a mouse, it is more closely related to hares and rabbits. They are herbivores, feeding on a variety of grasses, thistles and sedges. Pikas are active during the day, calling out from the tops of boulders or gathering food. They are the prey for a variety of different animals, so they are extremely cautious, turning tail into their burrows in the rock crevices at the first sign of danger. Due to climate change, pikas are good environmental indicators of the warming planet. Unfortunately, as the earth gets hotter the environments the pika needs to survive is disappearing.