We often hear about animals disappearing due to climate change, from melting glaciers in national parks to wildfires scorching California's forests. Around the world, many species are declining at alarming rates.

Studies from the University of Arizona tracked 976 species and found that 47% have vanished from some areas. Animals are disappearing faster than plants, with extinction rates of 50% versus 39%. Freshwater species are the hardest hit, with 74% affected, compared to 46% for land and 51% for marine species.

Amid all this gloom, one tiny mammal stands out: the North American pika. Unlike many species teetering on the brink, pika populations are actually doing well, proving that nature has some surprises for us.

Are North American Pikas Really in Danger?

Back in the 1990s, researchers found that 7–25 pika populations had disappeared, likely due to climate change. Since pikas live in cool, high-altitude areas, warming temperatures were thought to force them to retreat even higher. Many news reports spread the idea that pikas were on the verge of extinction.

But Adam Smith, a biologist at the University of Arizona, recently set the record straight. According to him, pikas have adapted remarkably well and are actually increasing in numbers. He even joked about hikers in California's Sierra Nevada telling him they'd read false reports about pika extinction. We can see that not every climate story ends in disaster.

Pikas Live Among Rocks

Pikas look like a mix between a mouse and a rabbit, and their behavior is just as interesting. Smith has studied pikas for over 50 years and never tires of watching them. During summer, they gather grasses and leaves to make hay piles for winter—they don’t hibernate, but they store food. Their light brown fur blends perfectly with rocks, so when they squeak to warn others, we notice them only if we pay close attention.

Weighing 121–176 grams and measuring about 10.5–28.5 cm long, pikas have short, rounded ears that look large. They have no visible tails, and their two pairs of upper teeth make them excellent grazers, similar to rabbits. No wonder they're called pika—tiny, adorable, and efficient.

Pikas Are Tiny Mountain Survivors

Pikas mainly inhabit northern mountain ranges, living among talus fields, or broken rock heaps. These areas appear along forest edges or bare rocky cliffs across Canada and the U.S. Smith's early research suggested that pikas' high normal body temperatures might make them vulnerable in warm environments. But they have clever coping strategies: when it gets too hot, they retreat deeper into the cool rock piles.

Temperature also influences how far pikas move. Warm weather limits their activity, while cooler temperatures let them explore new habitats. Originally from Asia, pikas spread across North America around five million years ago. Fossils have been found in places like the Appalachians and Mojave Desert, though they no longer live there.

How Pikas Adapt to Climate Change

Today, pikas occupy most of the high-altitude habitats in the western U.S. and Canada. Surveys found them in 98% of suitable sites in Colorado and central Nevada. Even in historical locations within national parks like Yosemite and Kings Canyon, there's no evidence of mass relocation due to warming.

Interestingly, areas where pikas disappeared were small, isolated, and often impacted by human activity like livestock grazing. Temperature wasn't the main factor—these places simply weren't ideal habitats. This shows that climate change isn't the only challenge pikas face.

Pikas Can Live in Hotter Areas Too

Pikas are adaptable. Some survive in hotter regions like Bodie, California, Mono Crater, and Idaho's Moon-shaped Pit National Reserve. During the day, they hide in cooler corners and forage at night. Low-altitude pikas eat different plants than their high-altitude cousins, and some even remain smaller in size.

Other unusual populations exist near sea level in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge. Here, they survive on moss year-round, defending tiny territories and retreating to shaded forests when it's hot. This clever behavior shows how flexible pikas are in the face of changing climates.

The Future of North American Pikas

Smith, with decades of pika research, believes these populations are safe within their core ranges in western mountain regions, where cold habitats are large and connected. Pikas can move between rock fields without crossing dangerous warm areas.

Their ability to adapt to warmer edge environments suggests they're more resilient than many studies predicted. Just because some individuals at the geographic edges are lost doesn't mean extinction is near. Lykkers, this is great news: pikas are responding to changing environments in smart ways, reminding us that some species can find ways to thrive, even when challenges seem huge.

Stay Inspired

North American pikas remind us how resilience makes a difference. Even as many species face challenges, these tiny mammals adapt, explore, and thrive. Watching them shows us that nature always has surprises, and careful observation helps us tell real stories from exaggerated ones. Let's cheer for these cute, clever rock dwellers and learn from how they navigate a changing world together.