"Without further protection, the animal will soon become extinct," Li said. one thing is sure: this is one of the most endearing wild creatures on the face of the earth The Ili pika has small ears and resembles a rabbit in appearance. Some are sensible, bad and some are cute.
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Ili pikas now seem to have disappeared from nine of the 14 spots where they were once regularly observed in Xinjiang. List of Top 15 Most Cutest Animals in the world, Earth is full of thousands of different animal species. That's the last thing it needs," he said. In 1983, Li discovered the Ili pika, a furry mouse-like animal from the pika family, in the rocks of the Tianshan Mountains. Some people have even asked me if they can be domesticated and bred as household pets. For the past three decades, Li Weidong, now 63, has been searching for and protecting an animal rarer than giant pandas and endemic to the Tianshan region of northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Only a few people have seen this furry critter, discovering it by accident, and only 29 sightings have been confirmed. Scientists had no idea this cute little creature existed until it was discovered in the Tian Shan Mountains of northwestern China. "The animal's cuteness means many people want to go to its habitat and take photos of it. The Ili pika is a tiny mammal with a teddy bear face that was discovered in 1983.
The image was reproduced by the media, bringing the Ili pika global fame. However, in July 2014, he managed to capture a snap of the mammal looking straight into a camera he had installed close to its habitat. In 2008, the animal was classified as "endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.ĭespite regular field trips, Li didn't see any Ili pika in the wild for 22 years. The size of their habitat has shrunk by 70 percent," said Li, who estimates that less than 1,000 now live in the wild. "Global warming has forced the animals to move further up the mountain. "I was discreet about the discovery to minimize human interference," said Li, who joined the Xinjiang Environmental Protection Research Institute as a researcher in 1996.Ī survey in 2002 showed that the number of Ili pika, which is also known as the "magic rabbit", had fallen to 1,500, about half the population in 1992. In 1986, the animal was recognized as a new species, so Li decided to call it the "Ili Pika" and devote himself to its conservation. The 62-year-old, who was familiar with rodents, was unable to discover any records relating to it. In July 1983, when Li was conducting fieldwork for the local health and epidemic prevention authority, he noticed a small creature emerging from a gap between large rocks in the mountains in the Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture. Greater recognition of the Ili pika, an endangered species of mammal that only lives in the Tianshan Mountains in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, is further threatening the animal, according to Li Weidong who discovered the species.