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American Pika SPECIES: Scientific [common] Ochotona princeps [American pika] Forest: Salmon–Challis National Forest Forest Reviewer: Mary Friberg Date of Review: 2/14/2018 Forest concurrence (or recommendation No if new) for inclusion of species on list of potential SCC: (Enter Yes or No) FOREST REVIEW RESULTS: 1. The Forest concurs or recommends the species for inclusion on the list of potential SCC: Yes___ No__X_ 2. Rationale for not concurring is based on (check all that apply): Species is not native to the plan area _______ Species is not known to occur in the plan area _______ Species persistence in the plan area is not of substantial concern __X_____ FOREST REVIEW INFORMATION: 1. Is the Species Native to the Plan Area? Yes_X__ No___ If no, provide explanation and stop assessment. 2. Is the Species Known to Occur within the Planning Area? Yes_X__ No___ If no, stop assessment. Table 1. All Known Occurrences, Years, and Frequency within the Planning Area Year Observed Number of Location of Observations (USFS Source of Information Individuals District, Town, River, Road Intersection, HUC, etc.) 1890–2009 40 Challis Yankee Ranger District Idaho Fish and Wildlife Information System (January 2017) 1890– 2011 4 Leadore Ranger District Idaho Fish and Wildlife Information System (January 2017); USFS Natural Resources Information System Wildlife (April 2017) 1949–2014 36 Lost River Ranger District Idaho Fish and Wildlife Information System (January 2017); USFS Natural Resources Information System Wildlife (April 2017) Year Observed Number of Location of Observations (USFS Source of Information Individuals District, Town, River, Road Intersection, HUC, etc.) 1948–2012 19 Middle Fork Ranger District Idaho Fish and Wildlife Information System (January 2017); USFS Natural Resources Information System Wildlife (April 2017) 1938–2010 22 North Fork Ranger District Idaho Fish and Wildlife Information System (January 2017) 2007–2013 6 Salmon–Cobalt Ranger District Idaho Fish and Wildlife Information System (January 2017); USFS Natural Resources Information System Wildlife (April 2017) a. Are all Species Occurrences Only Accidental or Transient? Yes___ No_X__ If yes, document source for determination and stop assessment. b. For species with known occurrences on the Forest since 1990, based on the number of observations and/or year of last observation, can the species be presumed to be established or becoming established in the plan area? Yes_X__ No___ If no, provide explanation and stop assessment c. For species with known occurrences on the Forest predating 1990, does the weight of evidence suggest the species still occurs in the plan area? Yes___ No___ Provide explanation for determination N/A – occurrences have been documented since 1990. If determination is no, stop assessment d. Map 1, American pika range in Idaho (IDFG 2017a) IDFG (Idaho Department of Fish and Game). 2017a. American pika (Ochotona princeps). Internet website: https://idfg.idaho.gov/species/taxa/16618. Accessed on November 27, 2017. Map 2, American pika range in Montana (MNHP and MFWP 2017) MNHP and MFWP (Montana Natural Heritage Program and Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks). 2017. Montana Field Guides – American pika (Ochotona princeps). Internet website: http://fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=AMAEA01020. Accessed on November 27, 2017. e. Map 3, American pika occurrences on the Salmon–Challis National Forest [Idaho Fish and Wildlife Information System (January 2017); USFS Natural Resources Information System Wildlife (April 2017)] 3. Is There Substantial Concern for the Species’ Capability to persist Over the Long-term in the Plan Area Based on Best Available Scientific Information? Table 2. Status summary based on existing conservation assessments Entity Status/Rank (include definition if Other) NatureServe G5—Secure (Common; widespread and abundant) Global Rank NatureServe S3—Vulnerable (At moderate risk of extinction due to a restricted range, relatively few populations (often 80 or fewer), recent and State Rank widespread declines, or other factors) State List IDFG: Protected nongame Status USDA Forest Not Region 1 or 4 sensitive Service Not SGCN USDI FWS Not listed Other IUCN Red List Category: Least Concern Not BLM Type 2 (Idaho BLM Sensitive Species, including USFWS Proposed and Candidate species, ESA species delisted during the past 5 years, and ESA Experimental Non-essential populations) BLM (United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management). 2015. Idaho BLM Special Status Species List Update. Instruction Memorandum ID-IM-2015-009. Internet website: https://www.blm.gov/policy/id-im-2015-009. Accessed on November 27, 2017. Smith, A.T. and Beever, E. 2016. Ochotona princeps. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: Internet website: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/41267/0. Accessed on November 27, 2017. Table 3. Status summary based on best available scientific information. Species (Scientific and Common Name): Ochotona princeps (American pika) Criteria Rank Rationale Literature Citations 1 B2 American pika are thought to be well distributed in suitable habitat IDFG (Idaho Department of Fish and Distribution on on the Salmon-Challis (B. Waterbury pers. commun.) Range maps Game). 2017. Idaho State Wildlife Action Salmon–Challis indicate that this pika is a year-round resident throughout the Forest Plan, 2015. Boise, ID. National Forest (Map 1) and western Montana (Map 2). Recent occurrences have been documented on all SCNF ranger districts (Table 1, Map 3). Habitat features (see Criterion 6) are small, localized, and distributed patchily across the Forest (IDFG 2017). Patches within mountain ranges may be close enough for subpopulations to interact as a metapopulation (Rank B2). Confidence is moderated by lack of population studies. Populations between mountain ranges are isolated by inhospitable lowlands. Confidence in Rank: High, Medium, or Low 2 C The American pika has a widespread, but discontinuous geographic NatureServe. 2017. NatureServe Explorer: Distribution in distribution throughout mountainous areas of the western United An online encyclopedia of life [web surrounding States and southwestern Canada (British Columbia and Alberta) application]. Version 7.1. NatureServe, geographic area (Smith and Beever 2016). The species range extends from central Arlington, Virginia. Internet website: British Columbia and southern Alberta south to east-central http://explorer.natureserve.org. Accessed California, Nevada, southern Utah, and northern New Mexico; and on November 27, 2017. east to Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado (NatureServe 2017). The NPS (National Park Service). 2016. Craters species’ elevational distribution varies with latitude—pikas occur at of the Moon National Monument & elevations from sea level up to 3000 m in the northern extent of their Preserve, Idaho: Pika. Internet website: range but are uncommon below 2500 m in the southern-most https://www.nps.gov/crmo/learn/nature/ portions of their range (Smith and Beever 2017). pika.htm. Accessed on November 27, 2017. Although populations have been extirpated from historically occupied low-elevation sites due to changes in climate, there are numerous Smith, A.T. and Beever, E. 2016. Ochotona Species (Scientific and Common Name): Ochotona princeps (American pika) locations where pikas persist in unsuitable regional climates, such as princeps. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho. This may reflect a Species 2016: Internet website: strong decoupling of microclimates used by pikas (which are notably http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/41267/ temperature sensitive) from the macroclimate of the region (NPS 0. Accessed on November 27, 2017. 2016; Smith and Beever 2016). Because the species occurs in multiple states and provinces, it is widely distributed outside the Forest (Rank C). Confidence in Rank: High, Medium, or Low 3 B Pikas are considered to be dispersal limited, with movements Halofsky, J. E., D. L. Peterson, J. J. Ho, N. J. Dispersal restricted to short distances or along continuous elevation gradients Little, L. A. Joyce. 2018. Climate change Capability where lowlands do not need to be crossed (Halofsky et al. 2018, vulnerability and adaptation in the subject to editorial revision). Thus, pikas in some locations will have Intermountain Region. Gen. Tech. Rep. difficulty tracking a geographical shift in habitat. Juveniles tend to RMRS-GTR20 xxx. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. return to or remain near a particular site or area, largely occupying Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, gaps between adult territories (Smith and Beever 2016). Dispersal Rocky Mountain Research Station. xxx p. distances of <300 m are most common (Smith 1974; Smith and Ivins Henry, P., Z. Sim, and M. A. Russello. 2012. 1983; Smith 1987 in Milllar et al 2016). However, indirect genetic Genetic evidence for restricted dispersal data suggest that long-distance movement (>2 km) occurs along continuous altitudinal gradients in a occasionally and is driven by competition for territory (Peacock climate change-sensitive mammal: The 1997). American pika. PLoS One, 7(6): doi:http://dx.doi.org.colorado.idm.oclc.or Dispersal capabilities also appears to be related to climatic factors g/10.1371/journal.pone.0039077. including annual heat-to-moisture ratio, mean annual precipitation, precipitation as snow, and mean maximum summer temperature. Millar, C.I., R.D. Westfall, and D.L. Delany. The species’ ability to disperse between sites may decrease due to 2016. Thermal components
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