American Pika Hay Pile Count – 2025 Summary

The American pika (Ochotona princeps) may be small, but it plays an outsized role as an indicator of ecosystem health in our mountains. These tiny “rock rabbits” don’t hibernate, but instead gather vegetation into hay piles to survive the long winter. Since 2020, the Kimberley Nature Park Society (KNPS) volunteers have counted these stashes each fall as a way to track pika activity.

American Pika at Tora Bora (Photo Credit: I. Irwin)

This year’s survey was the biggest yet. A team of students from College of the Rockies, their instructors, and two eager young volunteers joined the count at Tora Bora and RTM talus fields. Together, they found 58 hay piles—a new record, surpassing last year’s 38.

While hay piles don’t tell us exactly how many pikas are present, they give us a valuable index of where these sensitive animals are active. While genetic research will be needed to link stashes to population numbers (and that’s in the works), for now, our survey tradition shows how community science can bring people closer to the fascinating wildlife in our backyard.

The 2025 Pika Stash Team