Not many animals can survive in the alpines harsh weather, here are a few that have adapted to live in these cold conditions.
Alpacas are known for their fur that protects them against cold winds and below freezing temperatures up in the mountains, and is also used to make a very thick and soft wool in South America. They live at 11,000-16,000 feet above sea level and are herbivores. They also have very long necks like the llama and the vicuna to help it see oncoming predators.
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Mountain goats have an amazing jumping ability that helps them travel quickly over rocky slopes away from predators, their hooves are also very flexible which help them climb up rocky slopes, grip onto the edge of the steep mountains and maintain its footing. They mainly live in North America at altitudes of 0-13,000+ feet
above sea level.
above sea level.
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Andean condors are very large vultures that fly up to 16,000 feet above sea level, they are endangered mostly live in Peru. They are able to roost on a cliff side, and the high winds support them while flying. These gigantic birds used to fly all along the Andes mountains, but hunting and human activity has reduced their population and their habitat range.
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Chinchillas have extremely thick fur that protects them from the harsh weather in alpine biomes, and they also are able to jump, climb and grip onto rocky ledges and over the rough terrain. They are native to Chile, in South America but are now critically endangered due to over hunting, they travel and live in small communities.
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Snow leopards have thick white fur to protect them against the freezing alpine temperatures and help them blend into the snow while they hunt. They also have large tails to help them travel over the rough ground and maintain their balance. Snow leopards live primarily in Asia, they live on mountains at altitudes of 8,900- 19,700 ft because they have expanded nasal cavities so they can breath better at higher heights than most animals.