Photo for 03/09/2007

A pint sized Pika poses for a picture on east side of Mosquito Pass. Pikas are also called rock rabbits or coneys. It is also known as the "whistling hare" due to its high-pitched alarm call when diving into its burrow. The pika may look like a hamster, but is actually a cousin of the rabbit. The name "pika" appears to be derived from the Tungus "piika", or perhaps from the Russian "pikat'", to squeak. In the United States the pronunciation of the name is usually altered from /pika/ to /pIka/, probably due to the spelling.