Title: Identify characteristics of mammals.
Course: Fisheries and Wildlife Management (18501) > Section: Examining Mammalian Species

Identification should include

- production of milk to feed their young (mammary glands)
- single bone comprising their lower jaw
- three tiny bones in the middle portion of the ear (stirrup, anvil, and hammer)
- a diaphragm
- fur or hair
- a four-chambered heart
- complex brain function
- bodies that maintain constant temperature
- various means of locomotion
- well-developed senses of hearing and smell
- fur or hair used for insulation, protection of the skin, camouflage, and sensory feedback.

Process/Skill Questions:

- What species of mammalian wildlife are prevalent in North America?
- What are characteristics of the different families of mammals that occur in North America?
- What differences exist between wild species and domestic species of the same family (e.g., wolves, coyotes, and dogs; bison and cows; mountain goats and goats)?
- How do bats navigate safely as they fly in darkness?
- How are altricial mammals different from precocial? How does that affect development, maternal behavior, and other animal behaviors?
- What does a mammal’s morphology indicate about its role in an ecological niche?
- What impacts might the loss of a mammalian species have on an ecosystem?