The Tiny Pika's Floral Pantry

Meet the little pika, a cute 6-ounce creature living in mountainous Western North America. While you may think it's gathering flowers for decoration, there's a deeper reason behind this adorable habit.

A Daily Flower Ritual

Every day, this industrious pika scurries around collecting bouquets of flowers from the local flora. During the good weather months, it can do this up to 100 times a day!

Stocking Up for Winter

By the time winter arrives, the pika's collection of flowers will weigh around 60 pounds! But these bouquets aren't for show; they are its pantry for the long winter ahead.

Preserving the Harvest

Each bouquet is carefully picked, then laid out in the sun to dry. This process prevents mold and ensures the flowers will be edible when food is scarce during the snowy months.

Survival Strategy

As herbivores, both male and female pikas focus on collecting flowers with high toxicity levels. Surprisingly, these chemicals serve as a preservative, keeping the plants fresh until they are needed for sustenance.

Winter Munchies

While other animals hibernate, the pika remains active throughout the winter. It retreats to its underground den, where it will feast on its flower collections to survive until spring.

The next time you see a pika with a bouquet in tow, remember it's not for decoration but a clever survival strategy in action.