It takes a lot of guts to scale the highest mountains on Earth, but an intrepid bunch of animals makes living so far up seem like a cakewalk. These daredevils thrive in the world’s most isolated, inhospitable places, such as the rocky ranges of the Andes and the Himalayas. Parts of these regions also double as centers of biodiversity.
Freezing temperatures, low oxygen levels and meager resources don’t stop animals from leading healthy lives in the highest altitudes. Here are 6 species that epitomize the extreme feats of the animal kingdom:
1. Yellow-Rumped Leaf-Eared Mouse
The undisputed champion of extreme heights — at least, for now — is a tiny rodent that lives in the Andes Mountains. It received this distinction in 2020, when a biologist from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln caught one scurrying along the summit of Llullaillaco, the second highest active volcano in the world at 22,110 feet above sea level.
