ANIMALS
- Mammals
- camel
- Vicuna
- guanaco
- llama
- alpaca
- mountain sheep
- Predators
- mountain fox
- puma (mountain lion)
- Siberian ibex
- chamois
- snow leopard.
- Birds
- tinamou
- Andean condor
- chough
- eagle
- falcon
- snow finch
- ptmarmigan
- Reptiles
- snakes
- lizards
- Amphibians
- Puna toad
One thing that distinguishes mountains from other ecological systems is that each mountain can have its own distinct climate and collection of plants and animals. The region where the mountains are located most often has no effect on the various species which live on the mountain.
A mountain's climate and vegetation is dependent on many factors. One factor is that air gets colder with height. For this reason, some mountains are permanently capped with snow. Often, mountains are wetter than the low areas. Wetter conditions encourage the growth of thicker vegetation. Another factor that varies the conditions on a mountain is what the two sides of a mountain are facing. For example, the sunny side of a mountain always casts a shadow on the opposite side of the same mountain. Therefore, one side could be warm and damp, while the other cold and windy.
A few animals can survive the rigors of a mountain. Small mammals like marmots in the temperate forest and viscachas in the Andes live in burrows and hibernate during the winter to survive. Larger animals are usually very agile. These include the Siberian ibex, the chamois, and the rare Himalayan snow leopard.
Animals must overcome several things in order to live in the high altitudes. One is the lack of oxygen. Usually, animals gradually acclimate themselves to the environment by increasing their heart rate, rate of respiration, and number of oxygen-transporting cells in their blood. Another adaptation by the animals is the ability to reduce heat loss. Fur and other insulation are for this purpose. Unfortunately, animals such as vicunas are particularly prized for their soft wool coat. Hunting of the animals have led to a decline in the vicuna population.
The highest altitude a vertebrae has ever been seen is at the top of Mt. Everest. The vertebrae was, of course, a bird - a chough. Only the strongest birds can withstand the harsh wind. They include raptors like the eagle and mountain falcons, and carrion-feeders like the Andean condor and lammergaier. They feed on smaller birds like the snow finch, ptmarmigan, and chough. Seeds and insects serve as food for the smaller birds.
