Adopt-a-Pika returns this holiday season, and you can help support pika research in the Lassen Volcanic Park. In partnership with the Lassen Association, the Adopt a Pika program helps scientists track pika populations and impacts, including the changing climate.
The survival of the small hamster-like mammal is critical as they are considered an indicator species for detecting the ecological effects of climate change. Research suggests that pikas are lost from lower elevations due to warmer weather. The pika is found only in the highest areas of the park, including around Bumpass Hell, Lassen Peak, and Lake Helen. Ongoing monitoring will help to track their populations and identify how to help keep their numbers up in the park.
A donation to the program will symbolically adopt you an American pika in Lassen Volcanic National Park and provide funding for annual surveys, climate change-related research, and setting remote camera equipment to provide information about pika behavior. You’ll also get a personalized adoption certificate, an American pika fact sheet, and a life-sized pika plush animal. You can learn more about the program by visiting the bookstore at the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center in the park or on the web at lassenassociation.org.
