Of all groups of animals (vertebrates in particular), mammals are perhaps the most familiar of all. This may be because we keep certain species of mammals (e.g., dogs and cats) as pets, while others are farmed for their meat, milk or fur (e.g., cattle, sheep and pigs). The fact that we humans are mammals makes the group even more relatable. There are over 6,000 species of mammals, ranging in size from the minuscule bumblebee bat to the gigantic blue whale (which is also possibly the largest animal of all time). Most mammals have a covering of hair and are warm-blooded, but all have mammary glands that produce milk for their young. Below is a list of some of the mammals I’ve seen at the zoos I have visited.

For information about mammals I have seen in the wild in Ireland, see my Wildlife page.