An extremely rare teddy-bear lookalike mammal has been spotted in China for the first time in 20 years . The tiny Ili Pika , an eight-inch long rabbit-relative , is one of the world 's most endangered animals with less than 1,000 animals believed to be left in its natural habitat . The Ili Pika population is believed to have declined by almost 70 per cent since its discovery in 1983 , scientists say . Adorable : The Ili Pika is one of the world 's rarest mammals , and has been spotted for the first time in 20 years in its natural territory in the Xinjiang region of northwestern China . The Ili Pika , formally known as Ochotona iliensis , was discovered by conservationist Li Weidong in 1983 , who named it after his hometown . The animals can only be found in the Tianshan mountain range in the Xinjiang region of northwestern China , and its territory is under threat , with the population rapidly declining . When the Ili Pika was first discovered , Mr Li and his team estimated that there were around 2,900 animals living in the Tianshan mountain range . Nearly 20 years later , in 2002 , Mr Li conducted a new demographic , which found that the population had dropped to 2,000 . Last year 's fresh census , which is when the Ili Pika was spotted for the first time in 20 years , concluded that the population is down to less than 1,000 pikas . Rare animal : Chinese scientists believe that there are less than 1,000 Ili Pikas left in the world . Disappearing : Ili Pika population is believed to have declined by 70 per cent since its discovery in 1983 . ' I discovered the species , and I watched as it became endangered , ' Mr Li told CNN . 'If it becomes extinct in front of me , I 'll feel so guilty . ' Very little is known about this rare species , as no successful observations about its ecology , behaviour or reproduction has been carried out . Mr Li believes global warming is the cause of the decline in Ili Pikas as the altitude of permanent snow in the Tianshan mountain range has risen . 'This tiny species could be extinct any time , ' Mr Li added . 'They do n't exist in the sites where they used to be anymore . ' The Ili Pika was discovered by conservationist Li Weidong in 1983 , and it was he who photographed the adorable animal for the first time in 20 years last summer .
The tiny rat monkey lives in a mountain range in the Xinjiang region of northwestern China . The rare animal , which was discovered in 2003 , is just eight inches from nose to tail . Number of tiger monkeys is estimated to be down 70 per cent since its discovery , to less than 1,000 animals .