Summer’s a busy time for collared pikas in Alaska as they gather a variety of vegetation and let it dry in the sun in protected piles and then put it away for a supply of food during the winter. Their favorite habitat is a jumbled rock slide of large boulders close to harvestable plants. The boulders provide protection for the pikas themselves and for carefully selected spots for their hay stacks. Pikas are small creatures only 6-9 inches long and are related to rabbits and hares. They’re well camouflaged for their environment and often are not even noticeable until they sound off with a high-pitched alarm call. They’re actually quite tolerant of people if one has enough patience.