The basic mammalian body type is
quadruped, and most mammals use their four extremities for
terrestrial locomotion; but in some, the extremities are adapted for
life at sea, in
the air,
in trees,
underground, or
on two legs. Mammals range in size from the 30–40 mm (1.2–1.6 in)
bumblebee bat to the 30 m (98 ft)
blue whale—possibly the largest animal to have ever lived. Maximum lifespan varies from two years for the shrew to 211 years for the
bowhead whale. All modern mammals give birth to live young, except the five species of
monotremes, which are egg-laying mammals. The most species-rich group of mammals, the
infraclass called
placentals, have a
placenta, which enables the feeding of the fetus during
gestation.
Domestication of many types of mammals by humans played a major role in the
Neolithic Revolution, and resulted in
farming replacing
hunting and gathering as the primary source of food for humans. This led to a major restructuring of human societies from nomadic to sedentary, with more co-operation among larger and larger groups, and ultimately the development of the first
civilizations. Domesticated mammals provided, and continue to provide, power for transport and agriculture, as well as food (
meat and
dairy products),
fur, and
leather. Mammals are also
hunted and raced for sport, kept as
pets and
working animals of various types, and are used as
model organisms in science. Mammals have been depicted in
art since
Paleolithic times, and appear in literature, film, mythology, and religion. Decline in numbers and
extinction of many mammals is primarily driven by human
poaching and
habitat destruction, primarily
deforestation. (Full article...)
The walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) is a large
flipperedmarine mammal with a discontinuous circumpolar distribution in the
Arctic Ocean and
sub-Arctic seas of the
Northern Hemisphere. The walrus is the only living species in the
Odobenidae family. It is subdivided into two or three
subspecies: the Atlantic walrus (O. rosmarus rosmarus) found in the
Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific walrus (O. rosmarus divergens) found in the
Pacific Ocean, and a possible third subspecies, O. rosmarus laptevi, found in the
Laptev Sea. Walruses are immediately recognizable due to their prominent
tusks,
whiskers and great bulk. Adult Pacific males can weigh up to 4,500
pounds, and, among
pinnipeds, are exceeded in size only by the
elephant seals. They reside primarily in shallow oceanic
shelf habitat, spending a significant proportion of their lives on sea ice in pursuit of their preferred diet of
benthicbivalve mollusks. They are relatively long-lived, social animals and are considered a
keystone species in Arctic marine
ecosystems. Walruses have played a prominent role in the cultures of many
indigenous Arctic peoples, who have hunted walruses for their
meat,
fat,
skin, tusks and
bone. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, walruses were the objects of heavy commercial exploitation for
blubber and
ivory and their numbers declined rapidly. Their global population has since rebounded, though the Atlantic and Laptev sub-population remain fragmented and at historically depressed levels.
...from its discovery by
John Edward Gray in 1850 until a re-assessment in 1981, the Clymene Dolphin was regarded as sub-species of the Spinner Dolphin.
...the Australian Snubfin Dolphin (Orcaella heinsohni) is a recently recognised species of dolphin first described in 2005.
A newborn lesser short-nosed fruit bat (Cynopterus brachyotis) clinging upon a human finger. A species of
megabat within the family
Pteropodidae, it is a small bat that lives in South and Southeast Asia. Adults weigh between 21 and 32 grams (0.74 and 1.13 oz).
A
dromedary or one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) in the
Australian Outback. Estimated populations of Australian feral camels are in the hundreds of thousands, and this is now the world's only population of dromedaries exhibiting wild behaviour. Thousands of camels were imported into Australia between 1840 and 1907 to open up the arid areas of
central and
western Australia. They were used for riding, and as draught and
pack animals for exploration and construction of rail and telegraph lines; they were also used to supply goods to remote mines and settlements. Their impact on the environment is not as bad as that of other
introduced pests in Australia. They prefer to eat trees and plants that local wildlife dislike; only 2% of their diet is grass.
A 3-week-old donkey (Equus africanus asinus), in
Kadzidłowo, Poland. A female donkey is normally pregnant for about 12 months, and usually gives birth to a single foal; twins are rare.
The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is a
species of
hedgehog found in a wide range of
habitat types in
western Europe. It is a well-known species, and a favourite in European
gardens, both for its endearing appearance and its preference for eating a range of garden pests. While populations are currently stable across much of its range, it is thought to be declining severely in
Great Britain.
A female Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), a
subspecies of
tiger native to
Central Asia, and her cub. The Siberian tiger is the largest of the extant tiger subspecies as well as the largest
felid, attaining 320 kg (710 lb) in an exceptional specimen. Considered an
endangered subspecies, the wild population is down to several hundred individuals and is limited to eastern
Siberia.
The greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a species of woodland
antelope in the genus Tragelaphus found throughout eastern and southern Africa. Despite occupying widespread
territory, they are sparsely populated in most areas due to declining habitat, deforestation and poaching. The greater kudu is one of two species commonly known as
kudu, the other being the
lesser kudu, T. imberbis. Greater kudus have a narrow body with long legs, and their coats can range from brown or bluish grey to reddish brown. They possess between four and twelve vertical white stripes along their torso. The head tends to be darker in colour than the rest of the body, and exhibits a small white chevron running between the eyes. The
helical horns of adult males grow as the animal ages, reaching '"`UNIQ--templatestyles-0000000D-QINU`"' 2+1⁄2 rotations at about 6 years old.
This picture shows a greater kudu bull photographed near Groot Okevi in
Etosha National Park, Namibia. Bulls weigh 190–270 kg (420–600 lb), up to a maximum of 315 kg (690 lb), and stand up to 160 cm (63 in) tall at the shoulder.
Male lion (Panthera leo) and cub eating a
Cape buffalo in Northern Sabi Sand,
South Africa. Lions are true
predators who can require an average of up to seven kilograms (15 lbs) of meat daily to survive. Large
mammals comprise an important part of a lion's diet.
The common wombat (Vombatus ursinus) is one of three species of
wombat. It is native to south-eastern mainland
Australia and
Tasmania, and grows to an average of 98 cm (39 in) long and a weight of 26 kg (57 lb). It is solitary and lives in an underground burrow.
The tule elk (Cervus canadensis nannodes) is a subspecies of
elk found only in California, seen here at
Tomales Point in
Point Reyes National Seashore. When Europeans arrived in the area, an estimated 500,000 tule elk roamed these regions, but the animals were thought to have been hunted to
extinction by 1870. A single pair was discovered on the ranch of the cattle baron
Henry Miller in 1874. He ordered his men to protect them, and is credited with the survival of the subspecies. As of 2019, the total Californian population is estimated to be 5,700.
Dik-diks are
antelopes in the
genusMadoqua which can be found in the bushlands of eastern and southern Africa. These herbivores, named for the females' alarm calls, are quite small, measuring only 30–40 cm (12–16 in) at the shoulder, 50–70 cm (20–28 in) in length, and 3–6 kg (7–16 lb) in weight.
A female impala (Aepyceros melampus) photographed at
Mikumi National Park, Tanzania. These medium-sized
Africanantelopes inhabit savanna grasslands and woodlands close to water sources, feeding on grasses,
forbs,
monocots,
dicots and foliage. They are fast runners and known for their leaping ability, reaching heights up to 3 m (10 ft).
The Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus lateralis) is a species of
squirrel native throughout
North America and can be found in a wide variety of forest habitats as well as rocky meadows, and even sagebrush flats. It can be identified by its
chipmunk-like stripes and coloration, but unlike chipmunks, it lacks any facial stripes.
The Emperor Tamarin (Saguinus imperator) is a
tamarin native to the
Amazon Basin and neighboring parts of
South America. It was allegedly named for its similarity to
William II, the last
German Emperor. The name was first intended as a joke, but has become the official scientific name.
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