Mountain dwelling animals have adapted physically, making them able to navigate the rocky, steep, jagged terrain. The ibex has specialized hooves, composed of a hard outer edge and a soft center, that allow them to grip rocks and climb steep hills and rocks.
Animals living in the mountains have also developed thick coats of fur that protect them from the cold and falling of rocks as they travel higher in elevation. Higher elevations also mean less oxygen. Yaks living in the Himalayas have developed larger hearts and lungs, which allow them to live 18,000 feet above sea level where the air is thin.