Pika

A tiny mammal that can't handle warm weather could become the first animal in the lower 48 states to get Endangered Species Act protection. This is mainly because of climate change.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are responding to a petition from environmentalists. It will launch in a review of the American pika. It will also enter findings by Feb. 1, 2010. The agency agreed that there's a lot of information showing that climate change may threaten the pika's habitat and range. The service knows that climate change is real. It is the biggest conservation challenge of our time. That's what Diane Katzenberger said. She is a Fish and Wildlife spokeswoman in Denver. The pika is a furry big eared relative of the rabbit. It lives mostly in rocky mountain slopes in 10 Western states. It is well suited for alpine conditions. Even brief exposure to temperatures of 78 degrees or warmer can cause death for these small animals that's why they could become the first animal in the lower 48 states to get Endagered Species Act Protection. I think that this is sad for the pika because they can die so easily.