A cute little mammal, that happens to be very rare, the Ili pika has been rediscovered in its habitat on the Tianshan Mountains in northwestern China.

According to conservationist Li Weidong, presently, there are less than 1,000 Ili pikas left. Weidong first discovered the animal and was also part of the team that spotted it again last summer.

Li first found the Ili pika, properly known as Ochotona iliensis, in 1983 when he was sent to the mountains of Xinjiang Province to conduct a research in natural resources and infectious diseases by the Chinese government.

The Ili pika was past seen in the early 1990s. But Li along with 20 volunteers and infrared cameras was able to click several photos of a pika in July last year.

The Ili pika is an 8 inch long herbivore with big ears and gray fur that survives on the herbs and grasses that grow in its mountainous habitat. Pikas are especially susceptible to change in climate and global warming.The American pika, has thick fur and a round body which helps it survive in the cold and can die in temperatures above 78 degrees Fahrenheit.

According to Li and a fellow biologist increased temperatures, pika's low population density and low reproduction rate are responsible for disappearance of the creature.

Li's goal is to build a natural reserve to help preserve the Ili population.