Wildlifeof Bhutan
Royle's Pika
Pangolins, Treeshrews, Shrews & Gymnures
Photo: (c) Ashwin Viswanathan, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY (May be cropped or resized)
Ochotona roylii
Basic stats
Habitat
Takes over narrow creeks and existing burrows, filling them with hay piles and pine leaves
Range
Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan
Royle's pika, also called the Himalayan hare, has a slightly arched head, a rufous-grey body, a chestnut-coloured head and sparse hair in front of its ears. It is the most common pika species in the Himalayas and can be confused with the sympatric large-eared pika (Wikipedia, general species account).
It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan. It forages mainly at dawn and dusk and is inactive around midday, partly because heat stress rises with temperature. It does not make its own nest but uses narrow creeks and existing burrow systems, and typically lives alone, with a low population density across its range.
Quick answers
- What habitat does the Royle's Pika live in?
- Takes over narrow creeks and existing burrows, filling them with hay piles and pine leaves
- Where is the Royle's Pika found?
- Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan