Rising hundreds of metres above the areas that surround them, mountains can loom over cities and countryside like ever-watchful guardians. With a quarter of the Earth’s surface covered by mountainous terrain, these habitats are an essential part of our planet’s ecosystem - providing water to more than half of all people alive today.
High in mountain ranges from the Rockies to the Himalayas, life abounds. From mountain goats and sheep to multiple species of bear and a wide variety of birds, these habitats might be tough, but the animals that live here have adapted to ensure their continued survival.
The sweeping valleys and high peaks of mountain ranges across the world serve as a stunning visual reminder of how these dramatic environments came into being: often formed over millennia from the clashing of tectonic plates, mountains provide habitats that are completely unique when compared to the landscapes that surround them.