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Conservation and decline
In 2010, the US government considered, then decided not to add the American pika under the US Endangered Species Act, ; in the IUCN Red List it is still considered a Species of Least Concern.

Recent studies suggest that some populations are declining due to various factors, most notably global warming. A 2003 study, published in the Journal of Mammalogy, showed that 9 out of 25 sampled populations of American Pika had disappeared in the Great Basin, leading biologists to conduct further investigations to determine if the species as a whole is vulnerable.

As they live in the high and cooler mountain regions, they are very sensitive to high temperatures, and are considered to be one of the best early warning systems for detecting global warming in the western United States. It is suspected that temperature increase may cause the American Pika to move higher up in elevation. This is done in an attempt to find suitable habitat, as well as cooler temperatures. American pikas, however, cannot easily migrate in response to climate change as their habitat is currently restricted to small, disconnected habitat "islands" in numerous mountain ranges. Pikas can die in 6 hours when exposed to temperatures above 25.5°C (77.9°F) if individuals cannot find refuge from heat. In warmer environments, such as during midday sun and at lower elevation limits, pikas typically become inactive and withdraw into cooler talus openings. Because of behavioral adaptation, American pikas also persist in the hot climates of Craters of the Moon and Lava Beds National Monuments (Idaho and California, respectively). Average and extreme maximum surface temperatures in August at these sites are 32 °C (90 °F) and 38 °C (100 °F), respectively