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What Animals Live in the Alpine Tundra in New Mexico?

Tundra is the name given to areas in extremely high elevations in the Southwest portions of the United States. Alpine Tundra are characterized by the lichens, mosses and low shrubs that grow for a relatively short season in Colorado and New Mexico. These areas are subject to severe cold temperatures and a lack of rain or moisture. The moisture that does occur is in the form of snow. This type of weather limits the greenery that would normally be the staple in the diets of typical woodland creatures.

Pika
- The pika live in communities but fiercly guard their own areas.
  
  The Pika is one of the smallest mammals that lives in the Alpine Tundra in New Mexico. It closely resembles a mouse with no tail and grows to be anywhere from 6 to 8-inches long. They live in communities of Pika but closely guard their own areas, even from other Pika who are not part of their immediate group.
Chipmunk
- A chipmunk rests at the base of a tree.
  
  Chipmunks, more specifically the Alpine Chipmunk, are more closely related to squirrels than to rodents. The Alpine Chipmunk is one of the smallest breeds of chipmunk and is identified by the brightly colored stripes on its body and head. During the harsh winters they hibernate underground.
Yellow Bellied Marmots
- Marmots live in a polygamous community with males having multiple mating partners.
  
  Yellow Bellied Marmots closely resemble large gophers but are a completely different species. The Yellow Bellied Marmot in the Alpine Tundra live together in communities where the male defends and mates with one or more females. The male young marmots disperse when they grow to breeding size and to find their own females to mate with and protect.
Shrews
- Shrews are often mistaken for mice.
  
  Shrews resemble mice with elongated snouts. Despite their appearance, the shrew is a mammal. Shrews are among the world's smallest mammals. Shrews are able to use high-pitched squeaks for echo-location much as bats do. Some shrews have a toxic venom in their saliva that helps them subdue small prey.
Bighorn Sheep
- Bighorn Sheep make good use of their climbing abilities.
  
  Bighorn Sheep are one of the largest mammals to inhabit the Alpine Tundra. They prefer climbing the mountainous areas where their agility can help them evade predators. They eat grasses and shrubbery. They have a unique ability for mammals in that they don't need water in winter when green vegetation is around. This ability makes them ideally suited for the Alpine Tundra.
Elk
- Elk males have large antlers.
  
  Elk are the largest mammals in the Alpine Tundra. With their horns, elk can stand 9-feet tall. As with the Bighorn Sheep, it is the size of the antlers that signifies the leader of a particular herd of elk. The larger horns or antlers gives males significant advantages over other males who may challenge their rank.
Birds
- The Killdeer will attempt to lure predators away from its nest by feigning injury.
  
  Birds that inhabit the Alpine Tundra include the Water Pipit, the White Crowned Sparrow, the Rufous Hummingbird, the Mountain Bluebird and the Killdeer. Each of these birds have adapted to extreme cold temperatures and thrive in this area.

Animals & Science