How mammal babies grow
The newborn meadow mouse weighs little more than a feather. Its eyes are
closed and it has no fur.
The baby river otter’s eyes are closed, too. But a thick fur coat covers
its body.
The fawn’s eyes are open. Its mother has hidden it in the bushes until
it can walk. Spots on its body make it look like part of the bushes. It
has no smell. A bear can walk right past and not see or smell the baby
fawn.
Ten days pass. The meadow mouse now has a fur coat. Its eyes are open
and it can run. It is almost grown up.
The river otter baby is still helpless. Its eyes are still closed.
The fawn can walk now. It follows its mother.
Bear and Fawn
The newborn fawn keeps still and quiet so the bear won’t see it.
River Otters
Young otters love to play in the water.
A month passes. The baby otter opens its eyes. The meadow mouse is full
grown. It will soon have babies of its own.
Six months pass. The fawn’s spots are gone now. A bear can see it and
smell it. But the fawn can run swiftly on strong legs.
The baby otter has become a champion swimmer. It loves to dive and
splash and play in the water. Again and again it slides down a muddy
bank into the river.
At the end of a year the fawn and the otter are nearly full grown. But
the meadow mouse’s life is nearly over. Each mammal baby grows its own
way at its own speed.
