Designs for Living

Mammals are among the most successful animals ever to have lived. Because they are warm-blooded, they can survive in almost any environment. To take advantage of different environments,, mammals have evolved different body shapes. They have adapted to life in the jungles, deserts and high mountains; in the polar regions; in the air and in the trees; beneath the ground and in the oceans. They have also adapted as they moved from one environment to another. The ancestors of today's horses, for example, lived in forests and were small enough to move among trees and undergrowth. When they began to live on the open plains. however, they grew larger and stronger so they could migrate in search of fresh food, and faster so they could escape the fast-moving predators of the plains.

Looking alike 

Some mammals look similar and live in similar ways even though they are not related to each other and live in different parts of the world. Scientists call this "Convergent evolution". Many Australian mammals have evolved to resemble unrelated mammals in other parts of the world. 
The striped possum has a long, narrow finger just like that of the aye-aye from Madagascar. They both hook grubs out of holes in trees with their long fingers. 
Like the pangolins of Africa and Asia, echidnas have long noses, long sticky tongues and no teeth. 
Koalas look similar to the sloths of Central and South America. Both live in trees, eat leaves and move slowly. 
- Short beaked echidna (upper) and Pangolin (below) - 
- Aye-aye (upper) and Striped possum (below) -

- Koala (upper) and Sloth (below) - 

Winter coat 

Mammals that live in harsh environments, such as the Arctic, adapt to different seasons by changing color. The Arctic fox has a brown coat in summer, but grows a white coat for camouflage in white.
- Arctic fox -



Break - out

The odd looking Star nosed mole from North America uses its spade-like front feet to dig through the soil. It detects its prey of worms and insects with its sensitive star-shaped nose.
 - Star nosed mole -

Hidden from sight

The armadillo searches for food at night. But if it is attacked by a predator, such as a puma, it rolls into a ball and uses its horny skin as armor plating.
- Armadillo - 


Tree gliding 

Despite their name, flying squirrels cannot fly. They glide from tree to tree, tightening a flap of skin between their front and back legs, which acts like a parachute. 
- Flying squirrel - 

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