Recently, in the Jipuke Mountains and other places in The Jinghe County area of Xinjiang, when carrying out the protection and monitoring of the Ili pika, the natural cute Ili pika was photographed, and the cuteness was very cute.
It is reported that the shape of the Ili pika is like a mouse and a rabbit, which is a species endemic to Xinjiang on the mainland, and the population is currently less than 1,000, which is even less than the number of giant pandas, and is an endangered species in the world.
At present, the Ili pika is listed in the second level of China's "List of Wild Animals under National Key Protection", and its main food is the national second-level key protected plants Such as Rhodiola rosea and Snow Lotus. Many netizens said: Ili pika eats good things.
Endangered species! "Teddy" cute Ili pika
The Ili pika, which was accidentally discovered by Chinese scientists in the Tianshan Mountains in 1983, is a petite mountain mammal about 20 centimeters long, with large ears and a few brown spots scattered on its gray fur. It has a cute teddy face, which is jokingly called "teddy" by many netizens.
The Ili pika weighs about 240 grams and has a body length of no more than 20 cm, which is one of the only 24 species in the currently internationally recognized genus of pika rabbits, with the largest ears, the longest hind feet and the largest body.
The Ili pika is mainly distributed in various grasslands, mountain forest edges and bare cliffs. The living altitude is in the bare rock area near the Tianshan Mountains at an altitude of 2850 to 4400 meters. According to the actual situation analysis of the Tianshan Mountains, the distribution of Ili pika accounts for 17.05% of the actual habitat area, because the area is covered by ice and snow all year round, plants are scarce, food shortages, etc., resulting in a very poor habitat environment for Ili pika rabbit.
And the Ili pika is used to living in groups, very similar to most rabbits, either digging holes or using natural burrows to inhabit groups. It is active during the day to find food and rest at night, but the species does not hibernate, even in the winter when it relies on reserves of grain and grass in the cave to survive the winter.
It is reported that the breeding of Ili pika is still relatively frequent, breeding time up to five months, can produce 1 to 3 litters, each litter has 2 to 11 litters. According to this breeding rate, it can produce 2 to 33 litters per year, and the population should be relatively stable or expanded, so why is it still an endangered species?
The endangerment of the Ili pika is determined by 4 major factors
At present, the Ili pika is listed in the Red Book of Endangered Species in China, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) 2008 Red List of Endangered Species ver 3.1 - Endangered (EN), and the List of Wild Animals under National Key Protection in China. What caused a species to become endangered at one time?
First, inbreeding, which is currently the most serious problem of the Ili pika, in nature, inbreeding can lead to the extinction of the population, and its degree of harm stems from the destruction of the population's genes.
Second, the living environment is harsh, because the living environment of the Ili pika is very special, only living near the Ili Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang, its living space is very narrow, and there is a shortage of food, and most of the food is a rare species.
Third, natural enemies destruction, in nature, any species may have natural enemies, natural enemies can effectively control the overbreeding of species and flooding, but natural enemies may also eliminate species, resulting in the disappearance of species, such as eagles, snakes and so on.
Fourth, human interference, in recent years, with the expansion of human activity range, resulting in a continuous reduction in the range of wild animal life, which is fatal to the Ili pika, because the habitat of the species is already very small, due to the emergence of humans, resulting in a decrease in the frequency of population activity, some individuals appear dead phenomenon.
According to statistics, the population of Ili pika has decreased by more than 55% in more than ten years since 2000, and the number of mature individuals in its population is less than 2500, and the number of mature individuals in its subpopulation does not exceed 250.
summary
The presence of the Ili pika near the Tianshan Mountains fully shows that the area is the habitat of the Ili pika population, which provides important data support for human beings to protect their populations. In order to better protect the Ili pika population, humans should reduce their activities in the area, protect the native wild plants, and create a high-quality living space for them.
Source: The Eight Precepts Speak of Science