▁the ▁plut on ▁had ▁been ▁un ro of ed ▁within ▁ 2 0 ▁million ▁years ▁of ▁its ▁emp lacement ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁present ▁landscape ▁of ▁the ▁C air ng orm s ▁had ▁begun ▁to ▁form ▁by ▁ 3 9 0 ▁million ▁years ▁ago . ▁Ev idence ▁suggests ▁that ▁the ▁gran ite ▁currently ▁at ▁the ▁surface ▁was ▁initially ▁to ▁be ▁found ▁at ▁a ▁depth ▁of ▁between ▁ 4 ▁and ▁ 7 km . ▁ ▁Other ▁than ▁a ▁small ▁out lier ▁of ▁Old ▁Red ▁Sand stone , ▁there ▁are ▁no ▁younger ▁solid ▁rocks ▁within ▁the ▁national ▁park . ▁The ▁ice ▁ages ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁ 2 . 5 ▁million ▁years ▁have ▁however ▁left ▁their ▁mark ▁both ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁er os ional ▁and ▁depos itional ▁features . ▁Post - g la cial ▁features ▁include ▁pe at ▁and ▁lands li ps . ▁ ▁Nature ▁and ▁conservation ▁ ▁The ▁C air ng orm ▁mountains ▁provide ▁a ▁unique ▁al pine ▁semi - t und ra ▁mo or land ▁habitat , ▁home ▁to ▁many ▁rare ▁plants , ▁birds ▁and ▁animals . ▁Special ity ▁bird ▁species ▁on ▁the ▁plate aux ▁include ▁bre eding ▁pt arm igan , ▁dot ter el , ▁snow ▁b un ting , ▁golden ▁e agle , ▁ring ▁ou zel , ▁and ▁red ▁gr ouse . ▁M amm al ▁species ▁include ▁red ▁de er ▁and ▁mountain ▁ha re , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁only ▁her d ▁of ▁rein de er ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁Is les . ▁They ▁now ▁ro am ▁the ▁high ▁C air ng orm s