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| What is a Mammal? |
| Mammals are a distinctive class of animals found within the entire Animal Kingdom. To distinguish a mammal from the many other classes, there are several characteristics which can be identified. The dominate characteristic would be the fact that all mammals begin their lives by drinking their mother’s milk, until the time comes that they are adapted to eat solid foods. The term ‘mammals” is derived from the sweat glands called ‘mammary’ glands which female mammals use to produce milk for its young. Mammals are also the only class of animals to have hair on their bodies throughout their lives or just at birth for at least a short period of time. About 165 million years ago when dinosaurs roamed and dominated the earth, mammals only existed as small simple creatures. However when the dinosaurs disappeared approximately 65 million years ago, mammals were able to adapt themselves to the ever-changing environment and rose to the pre-eminent position they still hold today. Among the mammals themselves, man is certainly the dominant species. |
| Mammals in Algonquin Highland Region |
| Due to the unique geographic structure of the Algonquin Highlands area, there are a vast amount of different types of habitats like hills, lakes, cliffs, bogs and sand plains to cater the needs of the various mammals of the area. Algonquin Highlands is situated between coniferous forests in the north and deciduous in the southern portion of the region which also contributes to the collection of mammals to the area. Another contribution factor to the larger numbers and variety of mammals in the area is the due to the fact that the region acts as a refuge. |
| A Word About Names |
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In order to simpify the naming of mammals throughout the entire Animal Kingdom, many of the mammals in fact have more than one common name. Through this site, the species list follows the English and Latin naming conventions found within the Handbook of Canadian Mammals, Volumes I and 2 (National Museums of Canada, 1983 and 1985) by C.G. van Zyll de Jong for shrews, moles and bats, and The Mammals of Canada (University of Toronto Press, 1974) by A.W.F. Banfield for all other families. |
| mammals: carnivores rodents others |
