Mammal Fossils

Despite appearing around the same time as dinosaurs, 225 million years ago in the Triassic, mammals stayed small and underfoot for much of that time until catching their big break 65 million years ago. With the dinosaurs extinct, mammals moved quickly to fill the niches left behind. Predatory whales hunted the oceans, massive herbivores spread seeds and cleared brush, and packs of predators kept the herbivores in line. Mammals have always been my favorites due to their close ties to our modern-day wildlife. Every animal is so similar yet also so extraordinary and different from those that are still around to this day.