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 Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus), also called the Finback Whale or Razorback or Common Rorqual, is a marine mammal belonging to the suborder of baleen whales. It is the second largest whale and the second largest living animal after the Blue Whale, growing to nearly 27 meters (88 ft) long. Long and slender, the Fin Whale's body is brownish-grey with a paler underside. There are at least two distinct subspecies: the Northern Fin Whale of the North Atlantic, and the larger Antarctic Fin Whale of the Southern Ocean. It is found in all the world's major oceans, from polar to tropical waters. It is absent only from waters close to the ice pack at both the north and south poles and relatively small areas of water away from the open ocean. The highest population density occurs in temperate and cool waters. Its food consists of small schooling fish, squid and crustaceans including mysids and krill.
...that Scarlett the cat is a former stray cat whose efforts to save her kittens from a fire, at serious harm to herself, attracted worldwide media attention and has been related in a number of nonfiction books?
...that Dr. Johnson's cat Hodge has his own statue in Gough Square, London?
A male lion (Panthera leo) lying down in Namibia. One of the four "big cats" in the genusPanthera, the lion is the second largest cat, after the tiger. Males weigh between 150-250 kg (330-550 lb), and are easily recognizable by their manes. Though they were once found throughout much of Africa, Asia and Europe, lions presently exist in the wild only in Africa and India.
A newborn joey (baby kangaroo) in its mother's pouch. Kangaroo babies are born at a very early stage of development after a gestation of 31-36 days. At this stage, only the forelimbs are somewhat developed, to allow the newborn to climb to the pouch and attach to a teat. It will not re-emerge for several months, during which time it develops fully.
The Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), native to southern and eastern Australia, is the most commonly encountered kangaroo species, as it can be found in and around the major cities within its range. Although males can typically reach a height of 2 metres (6.6 ft) and weigh around 66 kilograms (146 lb), and the scientific name translates to "gigantic large-foot", the Red Kangaroo is actually larger.
A female koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), an arborealherbivorousmarsupial native to coastal regions of eastern and southern Australia. The word "koala" comes from the Dharuk word gula. English-speaking settlers from the late 18th century first called it "koala bear" due to its similarity in appearance to bears, although they are not at all related. Instead, its closest living relative is the wombat.
A female cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) on the Phinda Private Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Cheetahs accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour (0 to 97 km/h) in less than 3 seconds and average 40 mph (64 km/h) during a chase. The species is classified as vulnerable, with only 7,000 left in the wild.
A portrait of a Plains Zebra (Equus quagga), the most common and widespread species of zebra. The unique stripes and behaviors of zebras make these among the animals most familiar to people. They can be found in a variety of habitats throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. The name "zebra" comes from the Old Portuguese word zevra which means "wild ass". Zebra stripes are typically vertical on the head, neck, forequarters, and main body, with horizontal stripes at the rear and on the legs of the animal. It was previously believed that zebras were white animals with black stripes. Embryological evidence, however, shows that the animal's background color is black and the white stripes are additions.
The eastern bettong (Bettongia gaimardi) is a marsupial whose natural range includes south-eastern Australia (where it has been extirpated) and the eastern part of Tasmania. Sometimes referred to as a "rat-kangaroo", it is relatively small, rarely exceeding 2 kg (4.4 lb), but will travel up to 1.5 km (0.93 mi) from its nest to find food.
The eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus, native to the eastern and midwestern United States, as well as to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada. A prolific and adaptable species, it has been introduced to and thrives in several regions of the western United States; it is also an invasive species in Britain, where it has spread across the country and largely displaced the native Eurasian red squirrel. The head and body can measure from 23 to 30 cm (9.1 to 11.8 in) and the tail from 19 to 25 cm (7.5 to 9.8 in) in length; its adult weight is between 400 and 600 g (14 and 21 oz). Like many members of the family Sciuridae, the eastern gray squirrel is a scatter-hoarder; it hoards food in numerous small caches for later recovery. In the United Kingdom and Canada, the species is simply referred to as the "grey squirrel".
This picture, taken in 2010, shows an eastern gray squirrel in Florida.
Zootomical terms of location overlap considerably with terms used in human anatomy. In animals, the head end is called the "cranial end" and the tail end is the "caudal end". The side of the body normally oriented upwards is the "dorsal" side; the opposite side, typically the one closest to the ground when walking on all legs, swimming or flying, is the "ventral" side.
A portrait of a snow leopard (Panthera uncia) at the Rheintal Zoo in Germany. This species of big cat in the genusPanthera is native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. The snow leopard's adaptations for life in a cold, mountainous environment include a stocky body, thick fur, small rounded ears to minimize heat loss, and a short muzzle with unusually large nasal cavities that help the animal breathe the cold, thin air.
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