WASHINGTON (CN) - The American pika, a small chinchilla-like animal, is not threatened or endangered, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said after completing a 12-month review of the pika's status under the Endangered Species Act.
The agency's action followed a petition submitted by the Center for Biological Diversity to conduct a status review of each of the 36 subspecies of American pika, which the petition stated are threatened by habitat destruction and the effects of global warming.
While it did not find enough evidence to warrant listing of the pika as threatened or endangered at this time, the agency is encouraging the public to comment on the status of the pika.
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