Snow Leopard Genetic Mutation
Snow leopards carry a genetic mutation of genes: EGLN1 and EPAS1 that help the cat live at high altitude1.
[Note: this is a test page to check page load speeds – although it does have real and new information.]
Apparently Tibetan people have the same mutation.
EGLN1 is linked to the response of cells in the body to hypoxia. Hypoxia is a condition where parts of the body have a lack of oxygen2.
It seems that the mutation allows the body at a cellular level to cope better with low oxygen levels in the air.
I suggested years ago that the snow leopard eats a certain plant – Tamarix parviflora – to improve oxygen transportation in haemoglobin. If I am correct the snow leopard has a least two adaptations to living 3,000 and 5,500 metres above sea level.
The highest mountain in the European Union is Mont Blanc at 4810 meters.
Ref: (1) sciencenews.org (2) Wikipedia.