[Spectrum R3] 28. Forest Mammals - Hoyoung

Forest Mammals

Common Characteristics

What does a moose have in common with a porcupine? How about a bear with a mouse? How can more than 4,000 different kinds of mammals have much of anything in common? In fact, mammals have four distinct characteristics:

1. Mammals have warm blood, which means they can maintain a steady body temperature.
2. Mammals have backbones.
3. Female mammals produce milk
4. to feed their babies.
5. Mammals have fur or hair, though the amount of it varies widely.

North American Forest Dwellers

Forest mammals are alike in that they live in the same natural conditions, or habitat. Trees and the leafy undergrowth provide shelter and food for the many types of mammals that live in a North American forest.

 

Insect eaters Moles and shrews are just two types of insectivores that live on or under the forest floor. They find insects in the dirt or in rotting tree trunks or leaf matter.

 

Gnawing animals This large
family of mammals, called rodents, includes beavers, squirrels, mice, and porcupines. Whether on the ground or in trees, these animals gnaw on nuts, seeds, and branches with their strong front teeth.

 

Hare-like animals Rabbits and hares make up this group. Leafy sprouts and sometimes the bark of young trees are the main diet of these animals.

 

Meat eaters In North America, the largest meat eaters, or carnivores,
are bears and mountain lions. Wolves and coyotes are also members of this group. They eat smaller mammals such as rabbits, mice, and moles.

 

Hoofed animals In North America, moose and deer are the most common forest-dwelling hoofed animals. The forest provides both shelter and food for them.