Animal populations are slowly decreasing due to global warming, ecocide and the killing of animals for sports. Even the most well known species such as the snow leopard, giant panda and chimpanzee are becoming endangered. An extremely rare species, the Ili pika, is becoming endangered while not many people know of its existence. The scientific name for the Ili pika is Ochotona iliensis. The pika are herbivorous mammals measuring 20 centimeters long. Their habitat is located at the Tianshan mountain range in the Xinjiang region of northwestern China. The mountain elevations they were previously located at ranged from 3200 to 3400 meters. Now they lie at elevations of 4100 meters. The overall population was 2900. It has declined to less than 1000.
The Ili pika was first discovered by Li Weidong in 1983. He was not able to take a photo of it. In July 2014, a photograph was finally taken of the pika in its habitat. After seeing two other ones it was officially declared a species. Li left the research of the pika in the hands of Xinjiang Academy of Environmental Protection. Studies on the Ili pika were not made for a decade. Li assembled a team of volunteers and searched six separate regions for the Ili pika. Not one was spotted but they did find footprints and droppings. According to their analysis, the population has declined by 70 percent from 1983. Now, let us stream off from the statistics. Pikachu is an electric type Pokemon. It does look similar to the Ili pika but is yellow with a long tail, red cheeks, black tipped ears and three brown slashes on its back. The best quality that they both have is their cuteness.
- Ebony McPherson
The Ili pika was first discovered by Li Weidong in 1983. He was not able to take a photo of it. In July 2014, a photograph was finally taken of the pika in its habitat. After seeing two other ones it was officially declared a species. Li left the research of the pika in the hands of Xinjiang Academy of Environmental Protection. Studies on the Ili pika were not made for a decade. Li assembled a team of volunteers and searched six separate regions for the Ili pika. Not one was spotted but they did find footprints and droppings. According to their analysis, the population has declined by 70 percent from 1983. Now, let us stream off from the statistics. Pikachu is an electric type Pokemon. It does look similar to the Ili pika but is yellow with a long tail, red cheeks, black tipped ears and three brown slashes on its back. The best quality that they both have is their cuteness.
- Ebony McPherson