Too Cute to Survive?

How elusive is the Pokémon-like Ili pika? So elusive that in the summers of 2002 and 2003, a research team trekked a total of 37 days in the mountainous region of northwest China where the rabbit relative was first discovered—and didn't spot a single one. The Ili pika was first described by local conservationist Li Weidong in 1983 but has largely evaded cameras since then. It has only been observed 29 times; the number of alleged Bigfoot sightings is 100 times higher. 

Consequently, much of the Ili pika's behavior and ecology remains a mystery. We know that Ochotona iliensis inhabits the high-altitude cliff faces of the Tian Shan range, and that its fluffy brown and gray coat protects it against the persistent chill at 9,000-plus feet. It scrounges the rocky landscape for plants, which it caches for future dining in "haypiles" that are the main clue to its existence. The pika's tufted ears are on high alert for predators, and with good reason: At half a pound and eight inches long, the critter makes a convenient snack for foxes, weasels, and raptors, which don't care that fewer than 1,000 Ili remain. 

In 2014, Li finally photographed what has been dubbed the "magic rabbit," setting off an online cuteness frenzy. Unfortunately, the Ili's next trick may be a vanishing act. As the Tian Shan peaks warm, pikas are forced to move higher and higher upslope to find suitable habitats. Eventually, there will be nowhere else to go.