Due to their small size (approximately 18 cm), Pikas look like mice but they actually belong to the Rabbit Family. They have small rounded ears and their tail is very short. An adult Pika weighs about 140 grams.

Pika Jumping

They live in cold climates and often at higher altitude. Pikas can be found on rocky slopes on mountains where they can find shelter from the weather as well as predators.

Photos below: Pika holding flowers in its mouth. During the Summer and Fall, Pika gathers leaves and flowers to store in its food cache, in preparation for the harsh winter ahead.

Pika with a bunch of grass blades in its mouth.

Miscellaneous pictures of Pikas in action throughout a typical day on the mountain slopes in South Central Alaska. Most pictures are taken during the Summer.

Pictures below: some extreme close up pictures provide clear details on the Pika hair, fur, eyes and sharp teeth.

Photos at right: Pika babies have a rounder skull with a shorter nose, giving them a very cute appearance.

Pikas are very active during the Summer, busy eating and gathering food. They move very quickly, jumping from rock to rock and running up and down the mountain sides. They rarely stay at the same spot for extended periods of time. In this series of pictures, we were quite lucky to get extremely close to the little Pikas.

Pikas always need to be on the look out and hide from predators such as Bald Eagles and Ermines.

Once in a while during the day, Pika takes some time to enjoy the sun and relax, laying on top of a rock.

A young Collared Pika licks its small paws and rubs them against its face. Video footage from South Central Alaska. Pikas keep very good hygiene and can be seen repeating this cleaning ritual several times a day.

This video footage is downsized to be viewed in thumbnail version. Complete 1080p HD footage is available.

Pikas are extremely fast. They jump and zip through the air, and sometimes, when nobody watches, they even kiss and dance ...

Today, the Pika's are in a playful mood and like to chase each other, jumping from one rock to another. However, it all happens in a split second, and if you are not there to see it, it's as if it never happened...

Pictures of Pikas posing for the camera.

Left: Pika puts its hands together and pulls the tongue out.

Miscellaneous pictures of Pikas in action throughout a typical day on the mountain slopes in South Central Alaska. Most pictures are taken during the Summer.

Picture at Left: Pika gathering a large bunch of leaves and flowers. They store food under rocks to keep a reserve to be used during the Winter.

Alaska Winters are harsh. In October, snow begins to cover the vegetation on alpine grounds. By December, the snow is so thick that Pikas would not be able to feed unless they had gathered enough food under rocks throughout the Summer.

Pikas seen performing acrobatic maneuvers. These little rabbits are quite flexible when it comes to scratching the back of their ears with their tiny paws.

Pictures of Pikas with a colorful background and geometric shapes: A Pika circle, a Pika triangle, and a Pika rectangle.

Below center: Pika is in stealth mode, trying to blend with its surroundings.

Look carefully and you will discover that Pikas make faces: Smily faces, Jay Leno faces, pulling the tongue out, acting surprised, praying, yawning...

Classic Pika poses: Pika on top of a rock, a Pika behind a Pika, Pika eating a long blade of grass.

A day in the life of a Pika: So... what do those cute little creatures do all day long during the Alaskan summer? To learn more about it, below is a Pika diary of their activities summarized in 15 pictures.

After a tough morning making sure the kingdom is safe, Pika's stomach is begining to growl. It's time to find some juicy greens to eat for lunch, but also saving some for the harsh winter ahead ...

Little Pika has a vaste kingdom where it stores food under rocks. But sometimes, Pika encounters a neighbour that may be tempted to steal the precious cache, so it is safer to mark its territory by dropping some poop at strategic locations. When dried, the droppings look just like small round seeds.

It's been another busy day in the life of a Pika. Tomorrow is just around the corner.

Far left: two Pikas are wrestling.

Pika needs to remain vigilent in the big world. It often climbs on top of a rock and looks for intruders.

Pika pictures throughout the year, with an ever changing colorful background.

The baby Pikas look very cute and have a beautiful shiny fur. They are extremely small and could fit in the palm of your hand ...

This Baby Pika is incredibly small.

Pikas, just like Arctic Ground Squirrels, are extremely fast and elusive. In an instant, they appear and vanish under the rocks, out of sight from predators and photographers. These Pika pictures were taken in late summer and fall when they are most active.

Pikas remain active even during the winter. They rely on the food that they had diligently gathered in the summer months. These Pikas are spotted as they venture on the snow.