4 WHAT IS A MAMMAL There are more than 5,000 species of mammals on Earth They are a diverse group yet they have several things in common All mammals are vertebrates they have a backbone They are also warm blooded which means they produce their own body heat and do not have to rely on the sun or outside temperature to stay warm All mammals have hair For some mammals the hair helps to keep them warm Fur colors or patterns help to camouflage some mammals in their environments keeping them safe from predators Almost all mammals give birth to live young The only exceptions are platypuses and echidnas These two mammals lay eggs WHERE ARE MAMMALS FOUND Mammals are found on every continent and in every ocean They are considered some of the planet's most adaptable creatures They live in a wide range of habitats including the cold and icy Arctic regions the arid hot deserts of Africa rain forests and mountaintops In fact mammals are found in every land habitat on Earth Some of these include Above or below ground and some mammals split their time between both Some mammals live their whole lives in trees Other mammals spend their whole lives in the ocean or near the ocean
WHAT CAN MAMMALS DO AND WHAT ARE THEY LIKE Mammals can run jump fly hop pounce climb swing burrow swim walk dive and scurry They vary in size from the tiny American pygmy shrews and bumblebee bats to the elephants and enormous blue whales Many male mammals are larger than their female counterparts Mammals have diverse diets too Many are carnivores while others are herbivores omnivores or insectivores The behavior of mammals differs also Some mammals live alone throughout most of their lives They may only spend time with others of their species during mating season or when they are young or raising young Other mammals live in highly organized social groups In addition some species spend time hunting and moving during the day These mammals are known as diurnal Others are nocturnal or only active at night And some are crepuscular which means they are only active at dusk and dawn 5
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK Tab shows the mammal category appears here The mammal's common name Fun Facts give interesting information about mammals Sidebars provide additional information about the topic 6
The mammal's scientific name appears here This paragraph gives information about the mammal How to Spot features give information about the mammal's size range habitat and diet Images show the mammal 7
