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MAMMALS (CLASS MAMMALIA) belong to a group of vertebrates. Hair is a defining characteristic of mammals: no other organisms possess true hair and all mammals have hair covering at least part of their body at some time during their life. Another characteristic unique to mammals is the presence of mammary glands. A third characteristic unique to mammals is the presence of the presence of three middle ear bones. Mammals are also characterized by having a diaphragm, a four-chambered heart, and a large cerebral cortex. Six of the mammal subgroups are represented in the Bloemfontein Zoo:  (1) Primates, (2) Carnivores (3) Even- toed ungulates, (4) odd-toed ungulates, (5) Elephants and (6) Rodents.  Some of the other subclasses are also represented, but will not be discussed in this article. 

PRIMATE (ORDER PRIMATES) are a diverse group of mammals with two main subgroups: Suborder Strepsirhini (lemurs, indri, lorises, aye-aye, galagos) and Suborder Haplorhini (tarsiers, monkeys, apes). There is no obvious, single trait that defines primates, but the group instead shares a set of features that vary from one species to the next. Such traits include a shortened rostrum, eye sockets (orbits) that are encircled by bone, and forward facing eyes that enable binocular vision and depth perception, five fingers on each hand, fingernails, and opposable thumbs. The bones in their forearms and hind limbs are unfused (in the forearm, they posess a radius and ulna, in their hind limbs a tibia and fibula).                               
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CARNIVORES (ORDER CARNIVORA) contains 12 families, 9 of which live on land: Canidae (dogs and related species), Felidae (cats), Usidae (bears), Procyonidiae (raccoons and related species), Mustelidae (weasels, badgers, otters and related species), Mephitidae (skunks and stink badgers), Herpestidae (mongooses), Viverridae (civets, genets, and related species), and Hyaenidae (hyenas). Carnivores have adapted to a hunting lifestyle and most members of the Order Carnivora are swift runners, they possess sharp teeth, superb eyesight, well-developed sense of smell, sharp claws, and specialized teeth.  Most carnivores consume diets that consist entirely of meat, but not all carnivores are meat-eaters, some are omnivorous.

EVEN-TOED UNGULATES (ORDER ARTIODACTYLA) include camels, giraffes, cattle, pigs, hippopotamuses, deer, pronghorn, and peccaries. Even-toed ungulates (artiodactyls) are hoofed mammals with feet that are symmetrical around a plane of symmetry that runs between their third and fourth toes. Many artiodactyls can run at fast speeds. Most inhabit grasslands, savannas, and plains.  Some species of artiodactyls grow horns, while others exhibit antlers. Most members of this order are herbivorous (that is, they consume a plant-based diet). Some artiodactyls (such as antelopes) have a four-chambered stomach which enables them to digest cellulose from the plant matter they eat. 

ELEPHANTS (ORDER PROBOSCIDEA) belong a group of mammals that consists of only one family, the Family Elephantidea. The Family Elephantidea, in turn, consists of two genera, each of which contain a single species of elephant—the African elephant and the Asian elephant. The most notable features of elephants include their large size, massive skull, and long muscular trunk. The trunk of an elephant is formed from the upper lip and the nose. It is highly sensitive and enables the elephant to lift food and water from ground level to its mouth—tasks that would otherwise be challenging due to the height of an elephant. Elephants have sparse hair covering their body and their skin. Their skin, which appears tough and leathery, is actually very sensitive and requires a great deal of care. Elephants are herbivores and require a great deal of food each day—more than 400 kg per individual, daily.

RODENTS (ORDER RODENTIA) include mice, squirrels, guinea pigs, rats, marmots and porcupines.  Rodents are a hugely successful group of species that make up 40 percent of all the mammal species in the world. Rodents can be found in nearly every corner of the world, excluding New Zealand, Antarctica, and a few oceanic islands. They are found living in every habitat on the planet including; oceans, lakes, rainforest canopies, deserts, grasslands, woodlands, rocky mountains, and some rarely surface from underground. As a whole, rodents are an active bunch and need to eat almost continually.
*Rabbits and hares do not belong to the order rodentia, but instead belong to a different class.