Category: Mammals
Also known as the Eurasian wild pig, these versatile omnivores are native to Eurasia, North Africa and the Greater Sunda Islands. Humans, however, have helped to spread them well beyond their native lands, and they are now one of the widest ranging mammals in the world. They live in matriarchal societies comprised of genetically related females and their young (male and female) - adult males are generally solitary outside of breeding seasons. They are the ancestor of most domestic pigs.
A 200 Million Year-old Iconoclast
If a defining trait of mammals is that they give live birth to their young, how do you explain monotremes? Monotremes are mammals that lay eggs like a reptile, rather than giving birth to live young. Living examples of these unusual animals can only be found in Australia and New Guinea today, though they used to be more widespread. A monotreme egg has less yolk for supplying nutrients than a reptile egg, and when a young echidna or platypus hatches, it is very tiny and less developed than its reptile counterpart. But monotreme babies are able to grow and thrive because their mothers stay with them, lactating to supply vital nutrients for their growth - just like other mammals!
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