7. Mammals

The food chain

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In ecosystems, such as parks and forests, energy flows through food chains.

The food chain begins at the level of the producer. Producers are green plants that create energy from sunlight in photosynthesis. They store this energy in the form of sugar. When herbivorous animals, such as insects, eat the leaves of a green plant, they receive some of the energy created by it. When these animals are eaten by other predators, the energy created by the producers continues to travel from one organism to the next. Finally, when animals die, all of the nutrients and materials contained in their bodies are broken down and released back into the environment by decomposers. When this happens, the materials can be collected by plants, and the food chain starts from its beginning once again.

Familiarize yourself with the concept of the food chain by studying the interactive diagram below.

The food chain.

Photographs of park mammals

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: A brown hare.
: The fox can adapt to life in the city!
: Rabbits can be found in the parks of Helsinki.
: Squirrels are common park animals.
: Rats are common in cities, although you rarely see them!
: The wood mouse has large, round ears.
: The house mouse can be distinguished from a rat based on its small size.
: Hedgehogs are spiky mammals.
: Bats are winged mammals that use their echo sounders to hunt for insects during the night.

The squirrel

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The squirrel is easy to recognize from its bushy tail.

The squirrel was originally a species common to coniferous forests. In the forest, squirrels mainly eat pine and spruce cones.

However, squirrels have also spread into urban environments and parks. They are well suited to life in the park, as they are similar environments to forests. They are the food of many large predators, which is why they usually run quickly across the park lawn when moving between different trees.

Squirrels are omnivorous mammals. During the summer, the squirrel mainly eats seeds, but it can also eat bird eggs and even small birds.

During the autumn, squirrels store food in holes in the ground for the winter.

During the winter, the squirrel can often be seen visiting the birdfeeder when searching for seeds and nuts. The squirrel's winter coat is thicker than its summer fur. The color of the winter coat is also more gray than the squirrel's normal, brown-gray fur.

The brown hare

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The brown hare is a long-eared mammal. It is larger than the mountain hare, and keeps its brown color even during the winter.

The brown hare is well adapted to life in the parks and gardens of cities. Brown hares are the most common on the outskirts of cities, where they have access to shelter, grasses and shrubs.

During the winter, the brown hare has trouble finding food. This is why it usually has to resort to chewing the bark of trees and shrubs. The brown hare especially likes the bark of the apple tree, which can cause problems for gardeners.

Small park mammals

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From left to right: a rat, a house mouse and a wood mouse.

Many kinds of small mammals live in parks. These animals are usually relatively shy, and can therefore be hard to find. However, especially the rat and the house mouse are common in all cities.

The house mouse has adapted to life near human habitation, whereas the rat can also venture out to the park in search of food. The wood mice is usually found in forests, but it can also be seen in parks.

All of the small mammals listed above are rodents, and all of them have the following characteristics:

They have large eyes.
They have large ears.
They have long tails, which makes them good climbers.
They reproduce while still young, and produce a large number of offspring at a time.

The fox

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The fox has traditionally been a forest-dwelling species, but it has recently learned to live in urban areas, as well. The fox is a quick learner, and it can adapt to various environments relatively quickly.

In forests, foxes usually hunt for small mammals such as voles. In parks and cities, foxes mainly search for scraps of food left by humans.

In cities, foxes can learn to not be afraid of humans. However, most foxes still build their nests in forests outside urban areas.

The hedgehog

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Hedgehogs live in parks and gardens. During the autumn, hedgehogs prepare for winter. In the winter, the hedgehog hibernates.

To hibernate, a hedgehog needs a nest to provide warmth. During the autumn, hedgehogs build their nests in piles of leaves. Hedgehogs also like to spend the winter in man-made nest boxes that are filled with leaves.

During the summer and the autumn, hedgehogs fatten themselves by eating worms, snails, and other small animals. Heghehogs also like to eat fruits and berries they find on the ground.

Because the hedgehog is not a good runner, it has had to find other ways of protecting itself from predators. When in danger, the hedgehog curls up in a ball, letting the spikes on its back protect it from predators.

Bats

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Bats are flying mammals. They can be found living in forests and parks. They are often hard to see, but they can sometimes be observed flying over the park during dark autumn nights.

Bats navigate and hunt with the help of their echo sounders. They emit high-frequency noises and listen for their reflections. These reflections tell the bats where different things, such as trees and insects, can be found.

Bats spend the winter in hibernation.

Terminology

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Mammals
Term	Explanation
mammal	A four-legged animal that gives birth to living offspring and feeds them with milk from their mammary glands.