Mountains are home to many animal species and the harsh environment of the mountain region makes it difficult for them to survive in the environment. The mountain biome consists of three types of forests namely, montane, subalpine, and alpine, Here is the list of 10 types of mountain animals in the world,
Mountain Animals
1. Himalayan Tahr
Himalayan Tahri is one of the most popular animals of the tundra region that belongs to the bovid family. The body length is between 3 to 4.7 feet in length and 2.1 to 3.3 feet in height. The average weight is between 79 to 189 pounds of weight where males are larger than females. These mountain animals have small heads with large eyes and small pointed ears. The legs are short with well-developed hooves. During the winter season, Himalayan tahr migrates toward the areas with dense vegetation on the lower altitudes to avoid predators. The avarage lifespan of Himalayan tahr is upto 10 to 14 years in the wild and up to 21 years in captivity.
2. Brown Bear
The brown bear is a type of bear found in the forests and mountains of northern North America, Europe, and Asia. As of now, 16 subspecies of brown bears are known to humans including grizzly bears and Kodiak bears. The adult body is massive and has concave skulls that include a large portion of the body. Despite of their size, these brown bears are very fast and have a clocking speed of 50 kilometers (30 miles) per hour. The dietary habit is omnivorous where the diet varies per season from grass and shoots in the spring to berries and apples in the summer, nuts and plums in autumn. They are seen feeding all year round on roots, insects, mammals, fish, reptiles, and honey.
3. Lammergeier
Lammergeier also known as bearded vulture is a large bird of prey that belongs to the family Accipitridae. The body length is between 94 to 125 cm in length and the average weight is between 4.5 to 7.8 grams. The primary diet of Lammergeier is 70 to 80 percent consisting of bones only. They are found in the mountainous regions in the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Arabian Peninsula, the Caucasus region, the Zagros Mountains, the Alborz, the Koh-i-Baba in Bamyan, Afghanistan, the Altai Mountains, the Himalayas, Ladakh in northern India, western and central China. These birds of prey are sedentary and occupy an enormous territory year-round. The avarage lifespan of bearded vultures is between 21 to 45 years in the wild.
4. Tibetan Sand Fox
The Tibetan fox is one of the mountain animals which is native to Asia. They are found in the Tibetan Plateau in western China and the Ladakh Plateau in northern India. The body length is between 60 to 70 cm in length and the average weight is between 4 to 5. Kilograms. These animal species are monogamous and form long-lasting pair bonds. The gestation period is upto 50 to 60 days where females give birth to 2-4 kits in a den. The dietary habit is carnivores & scavengers and feeds on Plateau pikas, followed by rodents, marmots, woolly hares, and lizards. The avarage lifespan of Tibetan sand fox is between 8 to 10 years in the wild.
Image Source: Dash Huang
5. Himalayan Marmot
The Himalayan marmot is a marmot species that belongs to the family Sciuridae. The body length is between 475 to 670 mm in length and the average weight is between 4 to 9 kilograms. These are closely related to the woodchuck, the Hoary marmot, and the Yellow-bellied marmot. Talking about their apperance they have a dark chocolate-brown coat along with contrasting yellow patches on their face and chest. They are found in South Asia and in China. The dietary habit is herbivores in nature and feeds on seeds, grains, fruit, and nuts. The avarage lifespan of the Himalayan marmot is upto 15 years in the wild.
6. Kiang
The kiang is one of the amazing mountain animals native to the Tibetan Plateau where it is mostly seen in the montane and alpine grasslands. The body length is between 182 to 214 cm and the average weight is between 250 to 300 grams. It is also known as Tibetan wild ass, Chiang, or gorkhar and the range is restricted to the plains of the Tibetan plateau; Ladakh; and northern Nepal. They are social animals and live in family groups. The primary diet includes shrubs, herbs, and even roots, dug from the ground. The avarage lifespan of kiang is upto 20 years in the wild.
7. Chiru
Chiru also known as Tibetan antelope is a medium-sized bovid native to the northeastern Tibetan plateau. It can grow upto a height of between 74 to 83 cm and its average weight is between 26 to 39 kilograms. They are found almost entirely in China, where they inhabit Tibet, southern Xinjiang, and western Qinghai. The primary diet includes forbs, grasses, herbs, shrubland, and sedges. The avarage lifespan of Tibetan antelope is between 8 to 10 years.
Image Source: Young Zhong
8. Tibetan Gazelle
The Tibetan Gazelle also known as goa is an antelope species that inhabits the Tibetan plateau. This is a small antelope that comes with a slender and graceful bodies. Both males and females have the same size and can grow upto 54 to 65 centimeters (21 to 26 in) tall at the shoulder and the average weight is between 13 to 16 kg. The primary diet includes forbs, grasses, and sedges. The avarage lifespan of Tibetan gazelle is upto five years and seven months in captivity.
Image Source: Wikimedia
9. Yak
Yak is one of the mountain animals closely related to the buffalo and bison. As of now, two species of yak are known namely domesticated and wild. Talking about the apperance, they have long, bushy tails and the body is covered with thick and wooly coats. The color of the coat can be brown, black, or white in color and the main purpose is preservation of the body heat and protection against low outer temperatures. They like to live in herds of between 10 to 100 animals and are composed of a large number of females and several males. The avarage lifespan of yak is upto 20 years in the wild.
10. Alpine Chough
The Alpine chough also known as yellow-billed chough is a bird species that belongs to the crow family. The avarage length is between 37 to 39 cm and the average weight is between 188 to 252 grams. The avarage lifespan of alpine chough is upto 23 years in the wild. The breeding range includes mountains from Spain eastwards through southern Europe the Alps across Central Asia and the Himalayas to western China. They are social birds and are seen in groups which are larger in winter than in summer and have a constant composition in each season.
These are the 10 types of mountain animals in the world. Kindly share and post your comments.