Switzerland is a country of beautiful mountains, but it can get very cold and makes it hard for some animals to survive. But there are some very special types that do survive in this mountainous area. The
Chamois and the Ibex are two of the animals that live there. They both are types of goats. The Chamois is special to people in Switzerland because they can eat the meat, and use the hide for leather, and then they also use the mane that runs down their back to decorate their hats and clothes with. This animal has horns curved at the end and white stripes down the face, and a mane down its back and it is about four feet and a half tall and weighs about 110 pounds. The Ibex is also special to Switzerland because they believe it can help cure different diseases. The Ibex is able to climb the mountains easily due to the kind of hooves they have. This animal is like a
mountain goat. The Ibex is about twice the size in weight as the Chamois. Another animal that is part of Switzerland is the Marmot. This is a small furry animal like our squirrel. They store food before the winter sets in and then they hibernate to survive the extremely cold winters. They also have to be careful of being eaten by other animals, such as the snakes, birds, and foxes. All the animals have had to adapt to their surroundings by conserving their energy in the harsh winters by only going out and moving around to find food. In the winter the food becomes harder to find, and the snow makes it more difficult for some animals to move around to look for the food. The animals that live in Switzerland are there because they are the type of animals that can survive in this type of habitat.