Mammals at a glance

In short: Mammals are vertebrates that suckle their young with milk, have fur or hair and are warm-blooded. There are about 6500 species, from the pygmy shrew to the blue whale.

In more detail: Humans also belong to the mammals, more precisely to the primates.

In detail

• Characteristics: Mammary glands, hair, constant body temperature, diaphragm, mostly live-bearing.
• Egg-laying mammals: Platypus and echidna (monotremes).
• Marsupials: Kangaroo and koala carry young in a pouch.
• Placental mammals: Most species; young develop in the womb.
• Diversity: Carnivores, ungulates, rodents, bats, primates, whales.
• Adaptation: Whales live in water, bats fly, moles dig.
• Threat: Many species are threatened by habitat loss (biodiversitaet-und-artenvielfalt).
• Evolution: Mammals spread after the extinction of the dinosaurs (dinosaurier-und-massenaussterben).