Скачать или смотреть Plateau Pika on the Tibetan Plateau in Sichuan, China - a seriously fluffy animal

This Plateau or Black-lipped Pika was filmed at an altitude of 3,500 metres on the Tibetan Plateau. Ecologists regard it as a keystone species of that plateau where it aerates the soil by burrowing. They are extremely common. They do not hibernate but make hay stores underground to eat during winter. Many predators rely on this species of pika for their survival. Each family has a burrow with multiple entrances and a nesting chamber. Because we were there in late November, the pikas were in their thicker, lighter-coloured coat.

Survival during the winter has been found to be low with only 1-2% of adults surviving to breed for two years.

Also shown is a White-rumped Snowfinch. We noticed that in areas where snowfinches settled, the pikas appeared from their burrows. Presence of the finches appeared to assure the pikas that there were no predators near.

Pikas are lagomorphs (rabbits and hares) not rodents.

Shot in 4K on a tripod-mounted Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82 at the 35 mm equivalent focal length of 1200 mm. Enlarged in post-production to the equivalent of 2500 mm and output in 1080 HD. Edited in Final Cut Pro X.

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