Mammals are a group of warm-blooded vertebrate animals that have hair or fur, mammary glands that produce milk for feeding their young, and three middle ear bones.
Mammals are found on all continents and in all oceans and can range in size from tiny shrews to massive whales. They are divided into several subclasses, including monotremes, marsupials, and placental mammals.
Monotremes, such as the platypus and echidna, lay eggs, while marsupials, such as kangaroos and opossums, give birth to relatively undeveloped young that then continue to develop in a pouch. Placental mammals, which include humans, dogs, cats, and many other species, give birth to more fully developed young that are nourished in the womb through a placenta.
Mammals play important roles in ecosystems, as predators, prey, and in many other ecological roles, and are often studied for their biology, behavior, and evolution.
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