Understanding What a Mammal Is
A mammal is a warm-blooded vertebrate with hair or fur and special glands that produce milk for feeding their young. This group includes humans and many familiar animals.
Key Traits of Mammals
Mammals breathe air with lungs, maintain a steady body temperature, and give birth to live young in most species. Their hair helps with warmth and sensing the environment.
Types of Mammals
Mammals come in many forms: placental mammals like dogs and whales, marsupials like kangaroos, and monotremes like the platypus that lay eggs.
Where Mammals Live
They occupy almost every habitat on Earth — forests, oceans, grasslands, deserts, and even the icy poles. Their adaptability makes them highly successful animals.
How Mammals Survive
Mammals use sharp senses, complex brains, and varied diets to thrive. Some are predators, others are grazers, and many live in groups or family structures.
Why Mammals Matter
Mammals play a key role in ecosystems, from pollinating plants to balancing food chains. Studying them also helps us understand our own biology and evolution.
The Simple Takeaway
Mammals are warm-blooded animals with hair and milk-producing glands. They form a diverse group that includes everything from mice to whales to humans.