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SIDEBAR

MAMMAL BABIES NEED THEIR MAMAS Most mammal mothers give birth to fully formed babies rather than laying eggs like birds and reptiles. These babies, though, are not ready to live on their own. Babies feed on their mother’s milk. Adult mammals look after their young and may teach them the skills they need in life.

Many mammal babies stay with their parents for months or even years. When piglets are suckling, a sow can produce two and a half gallons a day.

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Apes and monkeys, such as this proboscis monkey, belong to a group of mammals called primates. Humans belong to the same group.

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