To: Chuck H. Bonham, Director, California Department of Fish and Game and Jerry Brown, Governor, California
List the California Pika as an Endangered Species Now
Director Charlton:
Global warming is having a devastating effect on the California Pika. A recent study commissioned by your agency confirms that global warming has already reduced the habitat range of the pika and led to the extinction of local populations.
In addition to being a favorite sight for thousands hikers who live in and visit California, the pika is a key species for the Sierra Nevada ecosystem. It not only acts as a source of food for owls and stoats, their foraging helps to diversify and spread vegetation.
We must act now to save this species from extinction before it's too late. Therefore, we the undersigned implore you to list the pika as an Endangered Species and take the necessary steps to prevent its permanent disappearance.
Thank You
Why is this important?
1. The pika is a favorite sight for California hikers who often see them hopping across the rocks and carrying little bouquets of wildflowers in their mouth.
2.Using historical data, researchers found that pikas are no longer found in 15 percent of their California range, places that are on average 2.2 degrees warmer than sites where they remain. They predict that by 2070, pikas will have disappeared from nearly 40 to 90 percent of those sites.