This adorable creature looks like both a mouse and a rabbit.
It's called the Ili Pikachu!
It is a species unique to Xinjiang.
Living in the high-altitude, cold mountainous areas of the Tianshan Mountains
recently
Volunteers photographed Ili pikas in the Tianshan Mountains of Xinjiang.
This is the first time I've taken a photo like this in eight years.
Clear photos of Ili pikas
The Ili pika is an endangered species worldwide.
There are currently fewer than 1,000.
Let's go together
Let's get to know the adorable Ili pika!
Ili pikas belong to the order Lagomorpha, family Pikaidae.
It looks like a rabbit and a mouse at the same time.
There are three brown spots on the forehead and side of the neck.
It is a species unique to my country
It is also one of only 24 species in the pika genera.
It has the largest ears, the longest hind legs, and the largest body size.
Some people also think
It looks a lot like a Teddy dog.
The Ili pika prefers to inhabit high-altitude, cold regions between 2800 and 4100 meters above sea level.
The Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang are its only habitat.
Ili pika
They survive by consuming medicinal plants such as snow lotus, rhodiola rosea, and golden lotus.
Weasels, stone martens, foxes, and various birds of prey
They are all its natural enemies
The Ili pika was actually discovered by chance.
July 1983
The Ili Regional Epidemic Prevention Station organized an investigation team.
Li Weidong, as a staff member in epidemic prevention...
Participated in this survey
One day
Li Weidong is conducting research on the cliff face.
Sudden
A small animal emerged from a crevice in the rocks.
A small gray head peeked out.
It shrank back in an instant.
Due to professional sensitivity
He patiently stayed where he was and waited, and soon...
The small animals cautiously scurried out from the cracks in the rocks.
It looks a bit like a gray rabbit, and a bit like a big rat.
Body length approximately 20 centimeters
Ears slightly longer than a mouse's, but shorter than a rabbit's.
This strange image
This immediately piqued Li Weidong's curiosity.
Investigation concluded
Li Weidong returned to his unit.
I consulted a large number of domestic and foreign documents.
Preliminary identification as a new animal species
Afterwards, they conducted several in-depth field investigations.
With Ma Yong, researcher at the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Completed seed selection research
This is confirmed to be a new species.
1986
Li Weidong and Ma Yong
It was officially named the Ili pika.
The number of pikas in Ili is small.
Therefore, it was listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
These years
With the protection of Tianshan No. 1 Glacier
The Ili Pika Nature Reserve in China has been established successively.
The last habitat of the Ili pika
It was protected
Netizen comments:
Oh my, so cute!!!
I was captivated at first sight
Protect the environment and living beings
May my little darling be well.
Source: Xinhua News Agency WeChat, compiled from CCTV News, Tianshan Net, Heilongjiang Traffic Radio, and netizens' comments, etc. Please contact this website if there is any infringement.
