Want to help the pika population in Colorado? There’s an app for that.
Colorado Pika Project turns to technology to protect the animal from climate change
The Denver Post
Elaine Collins/Courtesy photo
Above 8,000 feet in Colorado, pikas — a tiny, furry animal with large mouse-like ears — can be seen and heard on hiking and rock-climbing trails.
“When I’m up in the mountains, one of my favorite things is hearing a pika squeak or seeing one,” Andrew Wells, co-director of the Colorado Pika Project and community conservation coordinator at Denver Zoo said. “It’s like a burst of excitement.”
But the pika may be at risk because of climate change.
The Colorado Pika Project last month launched an app called “Pika Patrol” that allows people to help wildlife researchers study pika populations. The app allows casual outdoors enthusiasts to send data on sightings, calls, scat and other signs of pika life in the mountains.
“The pika app lets me turn that burst of excitement into data that helps pika conservation. It’s like a scavenger hunt for the cutest thing out there.” Wells said.
Read more on DenverPost.com.
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