Walk up a mountain and you’ll find that
the habitat begins to change the higher you
go. It also gets harder to breathe.
Life in thin air
A rare sight
There are thought to be fewer
than 380 wild mountain
gorillas. Although they look
fearsome, gorillas are peaceful
vegetarians.
What is the meaning of the word “alpine”?
Ecosystems and habitats
Mountain zones
A temperate mountain
(a mountain in a cool
part of the world) has
distinct zones, each
with its own wildlife.
Alpine zone
In cool parts of the world,
mountain peaks have a
permanent coating of snow.
Nothing grows at this height.
Alpine meadows
In the spring, as the snow
begins to melt, lush meadows
come alive with flowers. This
zone is above the treeline.
Conifer trees
Conifers are adapted to
surviving extreme cold. Even
their shape protects against
the weight of the snow.
Deciduous trees
Below the conifer trees,
where the air gets a
little warmer, grow the
deciduous trees.
172
Become
an expert
156-157
Ecosystems
160-161
Deciduous
forests
166-167
Life in
a meadow
Time to wake up!
Mountain meadows
are covered with
snow in winter.
Some animals, like
marmots, survive this
period by hibernating
in burrows.
Mountain
gorilla
Alpine
marmot
