Turuchan pikas play all sorts of games, including swinging from branches, throwing food around and hiding them jumping out at each other.
Name: Turuchan pika (Ochotona turuchanensis)
Habitat: Mountains of central Siberia
Diet: Plants and vegetation, including nettles
Why it’s awesome: The Turuchan pika, a small, playful mammal, thrives in the harsh environment of central Siberia. Despite living in such a challenging region, these fluffy creatures enjoy a wide range of playful activities, from swinging from branches to chasing one another.
Native to the rocky slopes of the Central Siberian Plateau, the Turuchan pika is a subspecies of the northern pika (Ochotona hyperborea). They are compact, measuring up to 7.8 inches (20 centimeters) long, and are coated in thick, dark fur that helps them blend into their rocky surroundings and insulate them from the cold. Their powerful hind legs enable them to climb, jump, and engage in playful behavior.
Between 2020 and 2021, Russian researchers observed these pikas in the Irkutsk region, documenting various forms of play. Pikas were seen jumping to grab branches with their teeth, swinging from bushes, rolling on their backs, and playing chase games. One of the most curious behaviors was “jerk-uplifting,” in which they jumped onto their hind legs, threw their heads back, and stretched their front legs forward, often holding leaves or lichen in their mouths.
What’s particularly fascinating is that both young and adult Turuchan pikas were seen engaging in play, suggesting it’s a social activity enjoyed by all ages. While some animal play serves survival purposes, such as practicing for hunting or defense, the pikas’ behavior appears purely recreational.
This discovery marks a milestone in understanding animal play, as Turuchan pikas are the first known species within the Lagomorpha order (rabbits and hares) to display all three types of play—locomotor (active play), object (playing with items), and social (interacting with others). This exciting phenomenon opens doors for further research into animal play behaviors, shedding light on the social lives of these charming creatures.