MAMMALS

Even though amazingly diverse, all mammals have a number of common characteristics.
All mammals are viviparous, they are born from their mothers’ womb. In their early stages
of life, they feed on milk, which they get from their mothers' breasts where the mammary
glands are. And that’s why they’re called mammals.
They have teeth inside their mouths, and lips around them so they can eat and suck milk.
Most mammals’ bodies are covered with hair, and all mammals breathe with their lungs,
even if they live in the sea like dolphins coming to the surface for air.
The body temperature of mammals doesn’t depend on whether it’s cold or hot outside,
because they can maintain their own internal temperature that is they are warm-blooded.
Almost all mammals are terrestrial (live on land).
Some live in the sea and are called Marine mammals, like these dolphins and seals.
There's even a flying mammal, bats are the only mammal that flies.
Mammals have four limbs, which vary depending on where they live. Land mammals have
legs, so they can walk, and run when they need to, and jump, and sometimes even climb.
Marine mammals have fins so they can swim very fast... And flying mammals have wings so
they can fly through the sky.
Do you know which is the most wonderful mammal that lives on Earth? Human beings!
People are mammals too.
Mammals can be classified into different groups. Herbivores only eat plants and their teeth
are especially designed for grinding. Horses, sheep and llamas are herbivorous mammals.
Some very special herbivores are called ruminants. They swallow their food almost without
chewing it, and some of it is digested normally, but some of it is stored in their stomach,
and when they want to, they regurgitate it into their mouth to digest it again. Cows, giraffes
and goats are ruminants.
Carne means skin or meat in Latin, and that’s what carnivores eat: the flesh of other
animals. Their teeth are large and sharp for hunting and tearing at their food.
Carnivores that eat insects and other invertebrates are called insectivores.
Omnivorous mammals feed on both meat and plants. Bears, monkeys and humans are
omnivores: we can eat a tasty burger with lettuce and tomato.  So, let's remember,
Mammals are viviparous, and in their early stages of life they feed on milk from their
mother’s breasts. They have lips and breathe with their lungs. Their body temperature does
not depend on the environment they are in, and depending on their food sources, they may
be herbivores, carnivores or omnivores.
BIRDS
Birds are oviparous…which means that they reproduce by laying eggs. The females lay the
eggs in nests, in the rocks... or on the ground... And with the heat of their bodies, they
incubate the eggs until the little chicks hatch.
Birds don’t have teeth, they have beaks or bills... And these can be very different,
depending on what that species of bird feeds on.
They breathe with their lungs, that are connected to... bags full of air... called air sacs... and
these help birds to fly. Also, nature, which is very clever, has made their bones hollow, so
they weigh very little, and because of this it’s much easier for them to fly.
The skin of birds is covered with feathers: these protect them from the cold and heat.
Birds have four limbs, the back ones are legs... and the front ones are wings. Together, the
wings and feathers are essential for them to be able to fly... and in some cases... so they can
swim. Birds are terrestrial and most of them can fly.
Penguins and ostriches are two species of birds that cannot fly.
Birds have four types of feathers: those that cover the whole body; flight feathers in the
wings that help them to fly; down feathers, which cover the chest and belly and maintain
the body at a constant temperature; and tail feathers that help guide the birds’ body like a
rudder on a boat.
Birds can be classified into several groups, according to what they eat: herbivores feed on
plants and grasses – their beaks are short and strong, and can crush seeds and grains. When
they only eat grains, they are called granivores.
Carnivorous birds hunt and eat other animals, using their strong, curved beaks. Within the
group of carnivores there are insectivores, that only eat insects, and piscivores that only
feed on fish. These birds have pointed beaks that are long and sharp to help them catch the
fish. Remember - birds that eat fish are called piscivorous. The last group - omnivorous
birds - includes pigeons and hens, and they eat almost anything.
Animal Teeth Facts

Animals, just like humans, use their teeth for biting and chewing food. By examining the
teeth that an animal has, we can learn a lot about its diet.

Herbivores

Herbivores are animals that only eat plants. They have molars that, like the teeth towards
the back of your mouth, are strong, flat, and perfect for grinding up plant matter. Some
herbivores, called grazers, eat grass and plants that are close to the ground. Other
herbivores, known as browsers, pick up branches and leaves from trees. The ridges that
herbivores have on their teeth help them grind up plants so that they can digest them.

Herbivores may also have sharp incisors that help to tear plant matter so they can eat it.
You're probably familiar with one herbivore that has huge incisors - elephants! Elephant
tusks are actually a type of tooth; however, they mostly use them in fights or to defend
against predators.

Cows and sheep are both herbivores that chew on grass. Giraffes are herbivores whose long
necks help them reach the leaves of tall trees. These animals also have jaws that move up
and down, as well as from side to side, allowing them to chew and grind more easily.

Most herbivores don't have upper front teeth including:

 Cow
 Deer
 Antelope
 Moose
 Reindeer
 Bison
 Sheep
 Goats
 Camels
 Llamas
 Gnu/Wildebeest
 Giraffe
 Yak
 Buffalo
 Rhinoceros

Exceptions - Horses and their relatives [donkeys, zebras], rodents, and rabbits and hares.
Carnivores

Carnivores are animals that eat meat. They have canines, which are sharp teeth used to
tear meat. These animals have fewer molars for chewing. Canine teeth are long and
pointed, such as the ones you see when a lion or tiger roars.

Carnivores usually have four pronounced canine teeth with sharp edges. When they open
and close their jaws, it is as if a pair of scissors is tearing through their prey. Unlike
herbivores, carnivores' jaws only move up and down, helping their teeth to work correctly.

Omnivores

Omnivores eat both plants and animals, so they need a variety of teeth types for eating
different foods. To get an idea of the variety, open wide and take a look at your own mouth
in a mirror. Humans have canines and incisors to rip and cut food into smaller bits. Flat,
ridged molars in the backs of our mouths grind food. Chimpanzees, raccoons, and bears are
all omnivores.