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List of Mountains Animals
Mountains Habitat
mountains
© Timothy Stirling - Fotolia.com
Mountains
Mountain habitats vary dramatically from the base to the peak of the mountains. On the mountain tops temperatures are colder, oxygen is scarcer, and the sun is harsher. As the climate changes, the plant and animal life between elevations also changes. On the highest mountain peaks the environmental conditions cannot support tree life. The part of a mountain where trees stop growing is called the tree line. Few, if any, trees will grow above this height.
Many animal species live in the lower altitudes, but only the hardiest species can live year round above the tree line, where the air is thinnest and there are no trees.
More mountain habitat information

Animals of the Mountains
Mountains Animals
Accentor image
AccentorAfrican Buffalo image
African BuffaloAfrican Wild Dog image
African Wild DogAlpaca image
AlpacaAmerican Black Bear image
American Black BearAndean Mountain Cat image
Andean Mountain CatAnt image
AntAsian Black Bear image
Asian Black BearBaboon image
BaboonBadger image
BadgerBeaver image
BeaverBee image
BeeBeetle image
BeetleBird image
BirdBird-of-paradise image
Bird-of-paradiseBison image
BisonBlue Sheep image
Blue SheepBoa image
BoaBrown Bear image
Brown BearBulbul image
BulbulButterfly image
ButterflyBuzzard image
BuzzardCaracal image
CaracalCardinal image
CardinalCaribou image
CaribouCaterpillar image
CaterpillarChameleon image
ChameleonChamois image
ChamoisChinchilla image
ChinchillaChough image
ChoughCivet image
CivetClouded Leopard image
Clouded LeopardCoati image
CoatiColugo image
ColugoCotinga image
CotingaCotton Rat image
Cotton RatCougar image
CougarCoyote image
CoyoteCrane Fly image
Crane FlyCrow image
CrowCulpeo image
CulpeoDeer image
DeerDegu image
DeguDhole image
DholeDipper image
DipperDove image
DoveDrongo image
DrongoDuck image
DuckDuiker image
DuikerEagle image
EagleEchidna image
EchidnaElephant image
ElephantFalcon image
FalconFinch image
FinchFlea image
FleaFlowerpecker image
FlowerpeckerFox image
FoxFrog image
FrogGeoffroy's Cat image
Geoffroy's CatGiant Panda image
Giant PandaGorilla image
GorillaGrouse image
GrouseGuanaco image
GuanacoGuinea Pig image
Guinea PigHawaiian Honeycreeper image
Hawaiian HoneycreeperHawk image
HawkHimalayan Tahr image
Himalayan TahrHyena image
HyenaHyrax image
HyraxIbex image
IbexIguana image
IguanaJackal image
JackalKestrel image
KestrelKlipspringer image
KlipspringerLeopard image
LeopardMarkhor image
MarkhorMonkey image
MonkeyNewt image
NewtOwl image
OwlPtarmigan image
PtarmiganRabbit image
RabbitRaven image
RavenRed Panda image
Red PandaRhinoceros image
RhinocerosSnow Leopard image
Snow LeopardSpectacled Bear image
Spectacled BearSquirrel image
SquirrelStarling image

A cat's claws are curved, which helps them to hold onto prey. ... Normally when the cat and his paws are relaxed, the claws are retracted, sheathed with the skin and fun around the toe pads. This helps keep the nails sharp since it cuts back on the wear from contact with the ground and other surfaces.

1. All cats have (or are at least are born with) claws on their front and rear paws. Most cats have five clawed digits on their front paws and four or five clawed digits on their rear paws. Some cats may have more clawed digits as a result of a mutation called polydactylism.

2. The fifth front clawed digit is proximal and is called the “dewclaw.” This thumb-like digit provides better grip and traction while playing or climbing.

3. The claws on the front paws are usually sharper than the ones on the hind feet.

4. A cat’s claws are curved, which helps them to hold onto prey. The curved claw also comes in handy when they’re climbing. Unfortunately, the curved design can also be problematic if the claws get tangled. This can cause injury to the cat if he can’t free himself.

5. Cats have retractable claws. Normally when the cat and his paws are relaxed, the claws are retracted, sheathed with the skin and fun around the toe pads. This helps keep the nails sharp since it cuts back on the wear from contact with the ground and other surfaces. It also allows a cat to walk silently, which is especially helpful when stalking prey.


Photo courtesy ajbunsby

6. A cat can voluntarily extend his claws on one or more paws. You can also make a cat extend his claw by carefully pressing down on the top and bottom of the toe at the same time. This will extend the claw, and it’s especially helpful when clipping your cat’s nails. Not sure if you should clip your CH cat’s claws? Read this.

7. The cat’s claws may be used for scratching an itch, hunting, self-defense, climbing, kneading, and for extra traction. You can learn more about why cats have claws and how you can use them here.

8. Like human fingernails, claws grow throughout a cat’s life. Consequently, they need some attention and maintenance. Most cats take care of this while using their teeth to pull at the rear claw sheaths, which reveals new, sharp claws underneath. For the front claws, they generally scratch on something, or hook their claws into a material to pull the old sheaths off. Click here for more information on scratching posts.

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