Mammals

1. Mammals

2. Mammal Mammals are one of the 6 main classes of animals.  There are about 4,000 of different kinds of mammals. Mammals are the animal class that people belong to.  Mammals have some of the same body parts as other animals but, in many ways, their bodies are special. To learn more about mammals, click on the image and watch an exciting video. Insert image and video clip Click here after viewing video.

3. Mammal Vertebrate (backbone) Characteristics Body Structure: Body Covering: Body Temperature: Breathing: Babies: Hair or fur that protects their skins. Warm-blooded Their body temperature stays the same temperature no matter how warm or cold their surroundings. Breathe in oxygen with lungs and breathe out carbon dioxide. Young are born alive and nourished with their mother’s milk.

4. Body Structure Mammals are vertebrates. A skeleton made of bones gives strength and shape to a mammal’s body. A mammal’s brain is bigger than that of any other animal. The brain tells muscles when and how to move. It also controls the animal’s nerves and senses. Most mammals have four limbs that they use for running, swimming, digging, or holding things. The skull and jaw are bones in a mammal’s head. The skull protects the brain, and the jaw grabs and chews food. Young mammals lose their first set of teeth, called milk teeth. Larger permanent teeth grow in their place.

5. Breathing The heart pumps blood throughout the body. Lungs bring fresh air into the body. Mammals breathe oxygen from the air into their lungs. The oxygen is carried in blood throughout the body. When the body uses the oxygen, it is changed into carbon dioxide. The lungs breathe out the carbon dioxide. How do mammals that live in water breathe fresh air? Click on the image below to check your answer.

6. Breathing Dolphins and Whales Most mammals breathe through a nose or snout. Dolphins and whales breathe through a blowhole. These mammals can stay under water for along time. When they need air, they swim to surface and take a deep breath filling their lungs with oxygen. They live in all the oceans, and some are found in rivers. They have smooth skin, a flat tail, and flippers.

7. Babies and Mammal Types Mammals are separated into three different types. How a mammal has its young determines the type of mammal. Click on each image to learn about the three types of mammals. Monotremes Placental Marsupial Click here to continue after learning about mammal types.

8. Monotremes Monotremes are the only mammals that lay eggs. After the babies hatch, the mothers nourish their young with milk. All monotremes live in Australia and small nearby islands. The Duck-billed Platypus Platypuses live in underground burrows near rivers. Platypuses have webbed feet for swimming, and their paddle-like tail helps them steer. With their special nose, they hunt for worms and other small water animals. Their nose can feel the tiny electrical charges given off by prey. When a platypus lays her eggs, she holds them between her tail and belly to keep them warm and stays in her burrow until her babies hatch. An interesting fact. Only a few mammals are venomous and the male duck-billed platypus is on of them.

9. Monotremes Enchidnas are another type of monotreme. The long-nosed and short-nosed echidnas live alone in burrows. Short-nosed enchidnas eat ants and termites. Long-nosed enchidnas eat insects and worms. Both enchidnas have a powerful sense of smell. They smell their prey and then dig it out with their strong claws. Enchidnas do not have teeth. They use their sticky tongue to catch and eat their prey. Click here.

10. Marsupials Marsupials are mammals with pouches. Their babies are born alive. The baby is not fully ready to live in the outside world. The baby is tiny, hairless, and cannot see or hear. The baby crawls to its mother’s pouch. The baby stays in the mother’s pouch feeding and staying safe until it grows big enough to leave. Tasmanian devil Koala Wombats wallabies

11. Marsupials The largest marsupial is the human-sized Red Kangaroo. The smallest marsupial is the Pilbara. It is so tiny, it could fit into your hand. The only marsupial in America is the Virginia Opossum. Click here.

12. Placental Mammals Most mammals belong to the placental group of mammals. These mammal babies develop in their mother’s body inside a placenta. When they are born, they are well developed. Some can stand and walk just a few hours after being born. Elephant mothers are pregnant longer than any other mammal. They carry their baby inside their body for almost two years before it is born!

13. Placental Mammals A baby horse is called a foal. It is helpless seconds after its birth. In only a few hours, however, the baby can stand, walk, and drink its mother’s milk. Click here.

14. Placental Mammals Baby kittens and puppies are born with their eyes closed. They eyes will take about a week to fully develop and open. Their fur is thin and fine when they are born. They will lose this fur as thicker, warmer fur grows. Kittens and puppies will stay close together to stay warm and safe. Puppies kittens

15. Placental Mammals There are almost 4,000 types of placental mammals. There are more rodents and bats than other types of placental mammals. To learn more about these mammals, click on each of the images or Click here to continue presentation. Bat Insert hyperlink to slide 18. Rodent Insert hyperlink to slide 16.

16. Rodents Most rodents, such as this prairie dog, hold food between their front paws as they chew. Rodents have long, sharp front teeth. They can chew through wood , nuts, and seed shells. A rodent’s teeth never stop growing. They have to chew on things or their teeth will grow so long that their teeth will wrap around and lock their jaw shut.

17. Rodents Rodents can be found all around the world. Many live in hollow logs or under rocks. Gophers, chipmunks, and prairie dogs live underground in burrows joined by tunnels. Squirrels live in holes in trees or make nests.

18. Bats Bats are the only mammal that can fly and they are all nocturnal. They fly by constantly flapping their wings. Their wings are made by a strong membrane (skin) that is stretched tightly over the bones. Do you know what a bat eats? Add picture. Animation 1 followed by animation 2 below. Add picture. Animation 3 followed by animation 4 below. Most bats are hunters . They feed mainly on insects, fish, mice, and small birds. These bats use echolocation to find their prey. Another smaller group of bat eats fruit. These bats have larger eyes and use their eyesight to find food.

19. Diet What does a carnivore eat? Carnivores eat mostly meat. They may look differently, but most carnivores have two long, pointed front teeth and sharp claws. whales and dolphins, dogs, tigers, lions, Carnivores have a great sense of smell for tracking other animals. Lions, tigers, cheetahs, and other big cats are also extremely fast and use their speed to catch their prey.

20. Diet What would a herbivore eat? Camels have one or two humps for storing fat. Their body uses the fat when there is little food. Herbivores eat plants leaves, seeds, nuts, berries, bark, or flowers. beavers, cows, horses, pandas, sloths, Many herbivores grow horns to protect themselves against carnivores.

21. Diet Can you guess what an omnivore eats? Omnivores eat plants and meat. People are omnivores. We enjoy a variety of foods, and we have the most diverse diet of all mammals. Other omnivores include bears, raccoons, and other mammals. Did you know that some mammals eat only insects. Can you guess what these mammals are called? Insectivores eat insects. These include some bats, aardvarks, anteaters, and other mammals.