There is trouble on the horizon for the American pika. This small alpine animal may be one of the first species to go extinct due almost exclusively to the effects of climate change. Research in the Great Basin (the area between the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains) shows that pikas have disappeared from nearly 30% of the sites that they were known to occupy for the last century. Pikas are particularly vulnerable to climate change because of their extreme sensitivity to temperature fluctuation. Temperature increase itself, changing patterns of vegetation, and lack of snow cover on which the animals rely for insulation in the winter are probably all contributing to their present decline. Scientists point to evidence that pikas have been moving ever higher to evade warming and drying patterns in the region. As they reach the top of their mountain habitats, there is nowhere else for the pikas to go.
The Pika Alarm is both a warning and a call to action on behalf of these amazing creatures. We can think of the pika as a canary in a coal mine, warning not only of the dangers the animals face but of the broader impact of climate change on the global ecosystem. There is more evidence every day that humans have caused these changes. We also have the power to slow their devastating progress.
The American Pika (Ochotona princeps) Also known as: "Cony," "Whistling Hare," "Piping Hare," or "Rock Rabbit." A brownish, small mammal with rounded ears and no visible tail. American pikas are found in areas of broken rock and talus, which are surrounded by suitable vegetation. They are most often found at the interface between meadow habitat and open rocky terrain, usually at elevations of 8,000 - 13,500 feet.
The Pika Alarm was created by Brian D Collier for "Weather Report: Art & Climate Change" and Exhibition at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art curated by Lucy Lippard. The project consists of motion-triggered, audio-rigged sculptures that play the alarm call of a pika, informational postcards and video.
Participating artists in the exhibition include: Kim Abeles, Lillian Ball, Subhankar Banerjee, Iain Baxter, Bobbe Besold, CLUI (Center for Land Use Interpretation; Matthew Coolidge), Brian Collier, Xavier Cortada, Gayle Crites, Agnes Denes, Rebecca DiDomenico, Futurefarmers - Amy Franceschini + Michael Swaine, Bill Gilbert, Isabella Gonzales, Newton and Helen Harrison, Judit Hersko, Lynne Hull, Basia Irland, Patricia Johanson, Chris Jordan, Marguerite Kahrl, Janet Koenig and Greg Sholette, Eve Andre Laramee, Learning Site, Ellen Levy, Jane McMahan, Mary Miss, Joan Myers, Beverly Naidus, Chrissie Orr, Andrea Polli, Marjetica Potrc, Aviva Rahmani, Buster Simpson, Kristine Smock, Joel Sternfeld, Mierle Laderman Ukeles, Ruth Wallen, Melanie Walker and George Peters, Sherry Wiggins, and the Yes Men.
The artwork was also featured in the exhibition "Feeling The Heat: Art, Science and Climate Change" at Deutsche Bank Gallery 60 Wall Street, NYC in 2008. The show was curated by Liz Christensen. Participating Artists: Kim Abeles, Subhankar Banerjee, Brandon Ballenjée, Iain Baxter&, Brian Collier, Steven Deo, Isabella Gonzales, Patricia Johanson, Chris Jordan, Kathryn Miller, Eve Mosher, Andrea Polli, Aviva Rahmani, Alexis Rockman, Buster Simpson, Joel Sternfeld.
The Pika Alarm is created by Brian D Collier with images and scientific advising provided by Dr. Chris Ray, Dr. Shana Weber and The Bristlecone Institute for Ecological Research. This project would not have been possible without their help.