Introduction to mammals (Mammalia)

Mammals are the highest developed form of life at the moment. Even humans are mammals. All mammals are warm-blooded creatures possessing an internal skeleton of bones and the whole thing is packed in skin. The skin is more or less covered in hairs. Except for a very small group of extremely primitive mammals they all give birth to more or less fully developed young. After birth most young are fed by their mothers by means of milk. This milk is produced by some glands referred to as mammas, hence the name of the group. Mammals have conquered the world: most live on the floor, but many are also capable of climbing up rocks and trees. Most are capable of swimming, but some, like whales and dolphins, fully returned to the water. Being so succesful it actually is amazing that only a very small group learned how to fly (bats). Even though some other species, such as flying squirrels, may glide through the air, they actually can not really fly by themselves. Mammals vary from very small, such as shrews and mice, to extremely big, such as whales. Among them are numerous carnivores, such as cats and wolves, omnivores, such as humans and bears, and herbivores, such as rabbits and cows. In an everyday, normally sized garden not too many species will turn up, not counting man's pets. Very common in many gardens are insectvores: rather small, primitive mammals that feed on insects, worms, woodlice and such. Shrews are probably in most gardens, but rarely noticed. The Hedgehog is a much better known visitor and much more popular too!

To the left the popular Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus). To the right the far less popular and rare seen White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura russula). Both are insectivores.

Should you live near forests squirrels may appear too. In Europe these are beautiful red squirrels, except for major parts of Britain where it has been replaced by the moore cheeky American grey squirrels. Squirrels are rodents and like other rodents they are vegetarians mainly. Should they discover an egg or a young bird in spring, they will not hesitate to eat it though. Other rodents are likely to appear in gardens as well, but they go about quitely and are hardly ever noticed. These are usually the unwelcome mice and rats. Even though humans have been trying to get rid of them for thousands of years, but they learned to adapt themselves quickly. For humans may present a big danger, they also present these rodents with a never ending stream of food, for especially rats will eat almost anything.

The beautiful European Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), a clown in the garden, should you have one.

Rabbits are also regularly seen in many gardens and are real unwelcome visitors. They will not only eat part of your carefully selected garden plants, preferring young ones, but they will also dig holes, destroying other plants as well. Like rodents rabbits may appear in great numbers. The rabbit population is however extremely variable. This is mainly due to the animal's little resistance to certain diseases, some of which may kill up to 90% of the population. If it does, one's garden could be rabbit free for many years to come. But one day, they'll probably be back...

Funny creatures, but a pest in the garden: Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Other mammals that are likely to appear and also very unwanted are moles. They are relatives of the Hedgehog and shrew, but spend their life underground, digging deep and long tunnels. Doing so they regularly through up the unwanted sand: the typical mole hills which could ruin your entire garden. No mole is on our site though, for we were lucky enough not to have them in our garden. Other mammals sometimes seen in gardens are mustelids and foxes. We either have none of those in our garden, or we haven't been able to take good pictures of them.
On this site you'll find pages about the following species:
1 The Rabbit,
2 The Squirrel,
3 The Hedgehog,
4 The White-toothed Shrew.

All pictures © Hans Arentsen (info@gardensafari.net) and © Hania Arentsen (photog@gardensafari.net).

Also visit Hania's Photographer's Pages, including pictures from Holland, Germany, China, the USA and Malaysia.