List of Top 7 Animals that Live at the Highest Altitude on Earth: Ranked

Mountain animals that live at the highest altitude: The highest mountains on Earth are some of the most unwelcoming places. The combination of freezing temperatures, strong winds, and very low oxygen levels (called hypoxia) makes it very dangerous. Still, a small group of mountain animals has developed amazing ways to not only survive but also thrive in these harsh conditions, which goes against what people thought were the limits of life. 

Scientists have gone on new expeditions to find out what animal lives at the highest altitude, especially in the Andes and the Himalayas. Researchers have found life much higher than they thought possible in the past few years. 

This has made us rethink how high mammals can live. The following list shows the most amazing animals that live at the highest altitudes. It shows how their bodies have changed to live in the thin air.

The Top 7 Highest-Living Mountain Animals on Earth

Let’s take a look at the seven animals that live at the highest altitudes, ranked by the highest altitude at which they have been seen or recorded. It's important to note that some birds and invertebrates can fly higher, but this list is only about animals that live and thrive in these extreme mountain areas.

1. Yellow-Rumped Leaf-Eared Mouse

Credit - The Week

This tiny rodent is currently the reigning champion of high altitude mammals, holding the record for the highest-dwelling mammal ever found. Its record was set in 2020 when scientists found a specimen at the very top of Volcán Llullaillaco in the Andes of Chile. This surprising discovery at 6,739 meters (22,110 feet) shattered previous assumptions about where mammalian life could exist, showcasing its incredible genetic adaptations for coping with extreme oxygen scarcity.

2. Himalayan Jumping Spider

Among the most famous mountain animals, this spider is one of the highest permanent residents of Mount Everest. Living high above the vegetation line, this eight-legged marvel, Euophrys omnisuperstes, survives almost entirely on wind-blown insects. It can survive the harsh cold and strong winds at almost 22,000 feet because it is so small and can make silken homes under rocks.

3. Large-Eared Pika

A relative of rabbits and hares, the Large-Eared Pika is another tough resident of the highest reaches of the Himalayas. Found at elevations over 20,000 feet, these adorable creatures do not hibernate. Instead, they spend the short summer collecting and drying piles of vegetation, called "haypiles," to sustain them through the long, brutal winter. Their special hemoglobin lets them use oxygen very well.

4. Snow Leopard

The Snow Leopard is the highest-living big cat in the world and is sometimes called the "Ghost of the Mountains." It has a thick coat, a stocky body, and wide, fur-covered paws that make it easy for it to walk on the snow-covered cliffs and rocky ground that are up to 18,000 feet high in Central Asia. They use their long, thick tails to keep their balance and to keep warm while they sleep in the cold.

5. Liolaemus aff. tacnae (Lizard)

Credit - Wikimedia

Reptiles are usually cold-blooded, so it is amazing that they can live at high altitudes. This type of lizard, which lives in the high Andes, is the highest-living reptile. To deal with the extreme temperatures, they rely heavily on basking in the intense high-altitude sun, which helps them keep their body temperature stable between the sun and the shelter of rocks.

6. Andean Condor

The Andean Condor is one of the biggest flying birds in the world, with a wingspan of up to 10 feet. It is also a well-known symbol of the Andes Mountains. They can fly and sleep at heights of up to 16,400 feet, thanks to the way birds breathe. They can glide on thermal currents, which saves the little energy they need to move through the thin, oxygen-poor air.

7. Himalayan Pit Viper

The Himalayan Pit Viper is the highest-living snake ever found, living at more than 16,000 feet in the Himalayas. This proves that not all life at high altitudes is fluffy. This poisonous snake can live in cold, rocky places where most other snakes can't. It is a sign of how adaptable life can be, even in the coldest places.

Must Read: List of Top 5 Animals that can Live Both on Land and in Water

These amazing animals show that life can survive and change in some of the most harsh places on Earth. The survival stories of these mountain animals are very interesting because they show how strong nature can be when it is at a very high altitude and has little oxygen. For example, the tiny mouse that climbed to the top of a volcano and the huge condor that used every bit of air it could find.