Northern Pika, ‘Survivors of the Ice Age,’ Prepare For Winter

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:16 JST, October 16, 2023

Northern pika are busy gathering food in preparation for weathering through winter at Daisetsuzan National Park in Hokkaido. The cute rabbit-like creature can be seen nibbling on plants and branches while making high-pitched cries in the rocky terrain of their habitat.

The furry critters are about 15 centimeters long. Since they do not hibernate, they store food such as leaves and moss around this time before winter arrives. Northern Pika are believed to have migrated from the Eurasia continent, which was once connected by land, and so they are often called “survivors of the Ice Age.”