Ili pika inhabits various grasslands, mountain forest edges and bare cliffs. It is a herbivorous animal and mostly feeds on alpine plants such as nasturtium, saxifrage, and snow lotus. Since these plants mostly grow in the crevices of rock walls or small terraces at high altitudes, Ili pikas often go hungry. Ili pikas do not hibernate and have the habit of storing food. When winter comes, they rely on the stored food to survive the winter.

Ili pika is a protected animal in the world, and the number is very small. It is also one of the animals on the brink of extinction. Ili pika has ears like rabbits and mouths like mice. Most of them are distributed in Xinjiang, high altitude areas with rocks. The Ili pika belongs to the family of rabbits, eating grass and growing. But the food it needs grows at a high altitude, so it can eat less.