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The longest mountain range in the world, containing the highest peaks in the New World and the highest anywhere except for the Himalayas, is home to flora and fauna that varies with altitude. Six distinct ecological zones may be described for the Andes. In order of increasing altitude, they are:

(1) The Lower Selva (262 – 1,312 ft.), and
(2) the Upper Selva (1,312 – 3,300 ft.). These are regions of tropical forest. Farming is limited here.
(3) Kichwa (7,546 – 11,483 ft.) is a land of hills and valleys where grains, maize, and a goosefoot seed product called quinoa are grown.
(4) (more…)

In answer to the question on whether the Himalayas are growing or shrinking then the answer is unfortunately the latter. Although for many, many years the so called “tree huggers” have been ruble rousing about the state of the Himalayas it has mostly fallen on deaf ears save for the few environmentalists that were, and still are, out to save the planet.

Unfortunately for the earth quite a bit of damage has been done and both present and future generations will have to live with the consequences of (more…)

Different mountain ranges have their own distinct flora and fauna that might or might not be evident to the passerby. When it comes to the desert mountain ranges there are unique creatures that inhabit these lands that have adapted to the extreme temperatures that are found on these lands.

Firstly, these mountain ranges are home to creatures that are adept at conserving their energy by shifting their hunting or scavenging tactics. As an example, in the hot deserts, most of these creatures leave (more…)

While most people would probably use the terms ‘highest’ and ‘tallest’ interchangeably when referring to mountains, strictly speaking there is a difference between the two and each has a very different title holder.

The highest point in the world is indisputably the summit of Mount Everest, which stands at 8,850 meters, that is, 29,035 feet above sea level. This infamous Himalayan peak has claimed the lives of 219 mountaineers and although it is often said that nearby K2 is tougher (more…)