Mammals
Mammals are vertebrates that feed their
young on milk produced by the mother.
The milk is made in her mammary
glands, which is why the group is called
“mammals.” Most mammals give birth
to live young.
WHAT IS A MAMMAL?
All mammals have a lower
jaw made up of just one
bone. This is how scientists
identify mammal fossils,
long after mammary
glands and hair have disappeared.Browsers and grazers
Nearly all hoofed mammals are herbivores—they eat only
plants. Some are browsers, which means they nibble leaves
and shoots from trees and shrubs; others are grazers that
eat mainly grass. Plant matter, especially grass, is hard to
digest, so many of these animals ruminate, or chew the cud.
After swallowing a meal, they lie
down to rest while
bacteria in their
stomachs weaken
the tough plant cell
walls. Then the animal
regurgitates its food (now
called cud) and chews it again
to help release nutrients.HAIR
Mammals are the only animals to have hair.
Hair is made from keratin, the same material
found in fingernails, fish scales, and bird
feathers. A dense coat of hair is called fur; its
main purpose is to keep the animal warm.
Hair also appears in other forms, such as
protective spines (as in hedgehogs and
echidnas) and the sensitive facial whiskers of
other mammals. ALL EARS Grazing
impala must live in the
open where their food grows.
They are wary animals with
large eyes and mobile ears
tuned to signs of danger.Short-beaked echidna
Tachyglossus aculeatusHYENA
SKULLLIVING WORLD
Mandible, or
jawbone94