Alpine Pika vs Marsh Pea

Ochotona alpina compared with Lathyrus palustris

Key Differences

• Alpine Pika is Least Concern while Marsh Pea is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alpine Pika	Marsh Pea
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Lagomorpha (Rabbits & Hares)	Fabales (Legumes & Allies)
Family	Ochotonidae	Fabaceae
Genus	Ochotona	Lathyrus
Species	Ochotona alpina	Lathyrus palustris

Conservation Status

Alpine Pika

LC — Least Concern

Marsh Pea

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alpine Pika	Marsh Pea
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alpine Pika

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Marsh Pea

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including boreal forests and taiga, Mediterranean forests and woodlands, and deserts and xeric shrublands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Israel), Europe (7 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and South America (Brazil). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Alpine Pika

The Alpine Pika (Ochotona alpina) is a species in the genus Ochotona. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.