 The shrubs senesce after 40 to 50 years, leaving a closed canopy.Although this is a harsh environment there is much endemic wildlife in the Alps including the chameleon-like Alpine thermocolor grasshopper, mountain pygmy possum ("Burramys parvus") and the corroboree frog ("Pseudophryne corroboree").One particularly restricted range species is the Baw Baw frog ("Philoria frosti") which only lives on the Baw Baw Plateau in Victoria.