Ochotona rufescens

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	LAGOMORPHA	OCHOTONIDAE

Scientific Name:

Ochotona rufescens

Species Authority:

(Gray, 1842)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Afghan Pika

Taxonomic Notes:

There are three recognized subspecies: Ochotona rufescens rufescens, O. r. regina, and O. r. shukurovi (Hoffmann and Smith 2005).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

Smith, A.T. & Boyer, A.F.

Evaluator/s:

Johnston, C.H. and Smith, A.T. (Lagomorph Red List Authority)

Justification:
Ochotona rufescens is a widespread species that does not appear to be experiencing a significant decline.

History:

1996

–

Lower Risk/least concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Ochotona rufescens is a widespread species that occurs in the mountains of southwestern Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran (Smith et al. 1990). O. rufescens is found between 1,900 and 3,500 m in elevation (Chakraborty et al. 2005).
Countries:	Native: Afghanistan; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Pakistan; Turkmenistan
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	A population found on the Small Balkan Ridge may be endangered due to isolation, but it is unclear whether this population is the subspecies shukurovi or regina (Smith et al. 1990). The subspecies O. r. shukurovi is found in the Great Balkhan Mountains and is isolated but does not appear to be threatened (Smith et al. 1990). Population density of O. rufescens may reach 70 individuals per hectare, but this is variable depending on weather conditions (Smith et al. 1990).
Population Trend:	Stable

Population:

A population found on the Small Balkan Ridge may be endangered due to isolation, but it is unclear whether this population is the subspecies shukurovi or regina (Smith et al. 1990). The subspecies O. r. shukurovi is found in the Great Balkhan Mountains and is isolated but does not appear to be threatened (Smith et al. 1990).

Population density of O. rufescens may reach 70 individuals per hectare, but this is variable depending on weather conditions (Smith et al. 1990).

Population Trend:

Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Ochotona rufescens is most commonly found in rocky desert habitat, but may create burrow systems in fields where no stones exist. O. rufescens also burrows in adobe houses and walls (Smith et al. 1990). The species may be found in juniper forests and prefers habitats with vegetation cover between 30% and 60%, not higher (Smith et al. 1990). O. rufescens survives on a diet of native xeric plants, such as thistles, Ephedra and Artemisia, creating haypiles to store vegetation twice in each year (Smith et al. 1990). O. rufescens also consumes agricultural crops, making it a pest to humans in some areas (Smith et al. 1990). The reproductive rate of O. rufescens is high, with litter size averaging from 5.2 to 7.1, producing as many as five litters annually. The breeding season is long, from mid-March to late September, and young individuals begin breeding in their first summer (Smith et al. 1990).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

Ochotona rufescens is most commonly found in rocky desert habitat, but may create burrow systems in fields where no stones exist. O. rufescens also burrows in adobe houses and walls (Smith et al. 1990). The species may be found in juniper forests and prefers habitats with vegetation cover between 30% and 60%, not higher (Smith et al. 1990).

O. rufescens survives on a diet of native xeric plants, such as thistles, Ephedra and Artemisia, creating haypiles to store vegetation twice in each year (Smith et al. 1990). O. rufescens also consumes agricultural crops, making it a pest to humans in some areas (Smith et al. 1990).

The reproductive rate of O. rufescens is high, with litter size averaging from 5.2 to 7.1, producing as many as five litters annually. The breeding season is long, from mid-March to late September, and young individuals begin breeding in their first summer (Smith et al. 1990).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Because Ochotona rufescens is considered a pest in some areas where it damages agricultural crops, it has been subject to control (Smith et al. 1990). The spread of agriculture also constitutes a threat, as habitat is converted to farmland, after which the pikas feed on crops, particularly by debarking trees in orchards (Smith et al. 1990). A population of O. rufescens on the Small Balkan Ridge may be endangered due to isolation. It is also unclear to which subspecies this population belongs, as it is found between populations of O. r. shukrovi and O. r. regina (Smith et al. 1990). O. rufescens is the only pika that has been domesticated for laboratory research, where it was once used in France and Japan, though this is probably not a future threat to wild populations (Smith et al. 1990).

Major Threat(s):

Because Ochotona rufescens is considered a pest in some areas where it damages agricultural crops, it has been subject to control (Smith et al. 1990). The spread of agriculture also constitutes a threat, as habitat is converted to farmland, after which the pikas feed on crops, particularly by debarking trees in orchards (Smith et al. 1990).

A population of O. rufescens on the Small Balkan Ridge may be endangered due to isolation. It is also unclear to which subspecies this population belongs, as it is found between populations of O. r. shukrovi and O. r. regina (Smith et al. 1990).

O. rufescens is the only pika that has been domesticated for laboratory research, where it was once used in France and Japan, though this is probably not a future threat to wild populations (Smith et al. 1990).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	No conservation measures are currently in place for Ochotona rufescens.

Conservation Actions:

No conservation measures are currently in place for Ochotona rufescens.

Citation:	Smith, A.T. & Boyer, A.F. 2008. Ochotona rufescens. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 February 2010.
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