Alps Fauna

Fauna

The Alps are a habitat for 30,000 species of wildlife, ranging from the tiniest snow fleas to brown bears, many of which have mad

e adaptations to the harsh cold conditions and high altitudes to the point that some only survive in specific micro-climates either directly above or below the snow line.[4][80]

Young alpine ibex. When fully grown the horns of this male will be about one metre wide.
The largest mammal to live in the highest altitudes are the alpine ibex, which have been sighted as high as 3,000 m (9,800 ft

). The ibex live in caves and descend to eat the succulent alpine grasses.[81] Classified as antelopes,[9] chamois are smaller than ibex and found throughout the Alps, living above the tree line and are common in the entire alpine range.[82] Areas of

the eastern Alps are still home to brown bears. In Switzerland the canton of Bern was named for the bears but the last bear is recorded as having been killed in 1792 above Kleine Scheidegg by three hunters from Grindelwald.[83]