Why are dolphins mammals and not fish? – Evie, 9, Washington
melissamayerDear Evie,
As fellow mammals, you and I have a lot in common. It’s easy to see our similarities because humans and cats spend lots of time together. We may even be roommates or family.
But humans and cats don’t usually have dolphin besties. It’s harder to see what we have in common when our bodies and lives are so different.
To better understand mammal life, I talked with my friend Kevin Turner. He teaches marine biology at Washington State University.
“The name mammal comes from the presence of mammary glands,” Turner said. “So, the major characteristic of mammals is that we have mammary glands to produce milk for our offspring.”
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