Mammals
A mammal is an animal in the vertebrate group within the class of Mammalia, humans are mammals. There are several distinct characteristics of mammals that distinguish them from the other animal classes (reptiles, birds, fish and amphibians). All mammals have a backbone, hair, warm blood, a four chambered heart and sweat glands. Female mammals give birth to live young and have mammary glands to feed their offspring with milk. The largest living mammal, and also largest living animal, is the Blue Whale.

Nature’s weirdest: This honking hammerhead bat has the world’s strangest nostrils

Meet the honking bat that looks like a cross between a horse and Yoda.
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World’s weirdest animals: Meet the tasselled red river hog, nature's most dapper swine

The wild, red-coated, 'tufted pig' is a Yoda-lookalike from western and central Africa which, like Yoda, lives near swamps (and rivers).
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Top 10: Most dangerous animals in the world

Which animal kills the most humans per year? Spoiler: it's not sharks.
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Are there really wallabies living in the UK?

Wallabies are present in the UK after escaping from private collections and zoos.
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Why do beavers build dams?

No, beavers don't actually live in dams – but they still serve a special purpose.
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Is Bigfoot real? Why people believe in the Sasquatch

Here's everything you need to know about Sasquatch.
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Giant pandas roamed around Europe six million years ago

Teeth found in Bulgaria in the 1970s confirms ancient panda once lived in Europe.
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Mummified baby mammoth unearthed by Canadian miners

The immaculately preserved specimen is "one of the most incredible mummified Ice Age animals ever discovered".
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Remembering Bears: Incredible photography from the upcoming book

A look at some of the stunning photography that will be featured in a book to protect bears.
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7 of the weirdest mammals that roamed the ancient Earth

Millions of years ago, the mammals were just starting to come into their own.
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5 of the best books about mammals

Jack Ashby shares insight from his new book, Platypus Matters, and recommends five of his favourite books for further reading.
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Chimpanzees observed digging wells after being taught how by an immigrant female

Members of a community of East African chimpanzees started to copy the behaviour after closely observing the immigrant ape's method.
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Sloths, with Dr Rebecca Cliffe

Dr Rebecca Cliffe, founder and executive director of the Sloth Conservation Foundation, joins us on our podcasts, Instant Genius and Instant Genius Extra.
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Back from the brink of extinction: The best conservation success stories

A new book by Marc Schlossman highlights some of the biggest conservation success stories in science.
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Dinosaurs: The Final Day. A closer look at the fossil site uncovered in Attenborough's new show

Meet Robert DePalma, one of the scientists piecing together evidence from the day an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous.
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