Reuters: The U.S. government has agreed to study whether the American pika, a tiny cold-loving relative of the rabbit, should be protected under the Endangered Species Act due to warmer temperatures, scientists said on Thursday. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to determine whether the pika warrants protection under the act by May. If so, it must then decide whether it should be designated an endangered species nine months after that, they said. The pika could become the first …