Mammals are vertebrates. They have hair. Their young drink milk. They also have three middle ear bones.

Mammals are warm-blooded.

Some examples of mammals are:

• Cats
• People
• Whales
• Deer
• Bats
• Hamsters
• Elephants

There are different types of mammals. These types are:  monotremes, marsupials, and placentals. Monotremes are mammals that lay eggs. A platypus is a type of monotreme. Marsupials are mammals that have their babies early and then carry them in pouches. A kangaroo is a type of marsupial. Placental mammals carry their young inside them where they are nourished by something called a placenta. Placental mammals have their babies when they are fairly well developed. People are an example of placental mammals.

Mammals have a high body temperature, so they have to eat a lot. Mammals can be either herbivores or carnivores, or both. There are fewer carnivores than there are herbivores.

Most mammals walk on four legs, although humans are mammals who walk on two legs.

Most mammals have sweat glands which help them regulate their temperature.

Mammals give birth to babies that are fully formed. They then produce milk to feed the babies.

Mammals have an aortic arch. This means that they have one main artery leaving the heart, and it is shaped like an arch. Other animals do not have this.

Mammals have a diaphragm. Other animals do not.

To learn more about mammals, visit these links:  http://www.allaboutmammals.com/subjects/mammals/

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/Groups.shtml.

All pictures either taken by group members, or used with permission from Pics4Learning.