Ili Pika

The Ili pika is the sweetest animal you’ve never heard of. The species, also known as the “magic rabbit,” was found in 1983 by environmentalist Li Weidong, who’s been monitoring and researching these animals ever since. Less than 1,000 Ili pikas are still with us today, showing a 70% decline in population since the animal’s discovery.

The Ili pika dwells up in the mountains. The diet consists of grass, herbs, and other alpine vegetation. Pikas are said to hide food between rocks, making “hay piles.” They spend the majority of the summer cutting plants with their strong, rabbit-like teeth and stuffing them into one giant hay pile or numerous smaller hay piles.

Experts are concerned that this resident of China’s Tianshan Mountains is under grazing stress from other animals, which, along with rising temperatures, is sending them higher into the mountains and reducing their food supplies.