Mountain daisy
These
bloom in their thousands
across alpine meadows.
Rock spiraea
Creamy-
white flowers form dense
mats over rocky areas.
Thyme
Low, thick clumps
of miniature thyme make
a colourful appearance.
Life in thin air
Mountain air is so thin that
mountaineers need oxygen tanks,
but birds like the chough have no
problem breathing it. A chough
once accompanied a climbing
expedition to the summit
of Mount Everest.
Above the treeline and below
permanent snow.
Life in thin air
173
Rock gardens
When the snow melts
in spring, the grassy
meadows on high
mountains are ablaze
with flowers.
Saxifrage
There are
many different colours
of this hardy plant.
Edelweiss
In many
places, this plant is now
protected: you can’t pick it
.
Alpine snowbell
Tiny bell-
shaped flowers push their
way up in early spring.
This is my home
Ibex are goats. They
can scramble up the
steepest slopes and leap
about without losing
their footing.
Who needs a tree!
Some monkeys prefer
cliffs to trees! Gelada
baboons actually sleep
on cliffs, perched on the
narrowest ledges.
Ibex
Alpine
chough
Gelada baboons
