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32-742: At 285 kilometres (177 miles) long, the Drin is the longest river of Albania and its tributaries cross through both Kosovo and North Macedonia. Its northern tributary, the White Drin starts from the foothills of Žljeb , at White Drin Waterfall in west Kosovo, and flows generally south, whereas its southern tributary, the Black Drin originates from Ohrid lake in the town of Struga , North Macedonia and flows north. Both tributaries' confluence occurs near Kukës in northeast Albania and Drin then flows westwards through

64-515: A broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair , and three middle ear bones . These characteristics distinguish them from reptiles and birds , from which their ancestors diverged in the Carboniferous Period over 300 million years ago. Around 6,400 extant species of mammals have been described and divided into 27 orders . The study of mammals is called mammalogy . The largest orders of mammals, by number of species , are

96-758: A vast array of flora and fauna . In addition, it has been recognized as one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in Europe. The Drin Delta is classified as an Important Bird Area of international importance by designation under the BirdLife International Convention. The name of the river is recorded in Ancient Greek as Drilon (Δρίλων) and in Latin as Drinus . The name is considered to be of Illyrian origin. The form Drin- has been evidenced by Pliny

128-572: Is primarily driven by human poaching and habitat destruction , primarily deforestation . Over 70% of mammal species are in the orders Rodentia , Chiroptera , and Eulipotyphla . Mammal classification has been through several revisions since Carl Linnaeus initially defined the class, and at present , no classification system is universally accepted. McKenna & Bell (1997) and Wilson & Reeder (2005) provide useful recent compendiums. Simpson (1945) provides systematics of mammal origins and relationships that had been taught universally until

160-426: Is the viviparous placental mammals , so named for the temporary organ ( placenta ) used by offspring to draw nutrition from the mother during gestation . Most mammals are intelligent , with some possessing large brains, self-awareness , and tool use . Mammals can communicate and vocalise in several ways, including the production of ultrasound , scent marking , alarm signals , singing , echolocation ; and, in

192-689: The Albanian Alps and Dukagjin Highlands , where three successive dams were erected between 1960s and late 1980s, forming 3 large artificial lakes. The Drin then passes Vau i Dejës and drains into the Adriatic Sea through its two distributaries in Buna river and west of Lezhë . Located in the Balkan Peninsula at the crossroad of Europe and Asia , the river basin's varied climate and topography have shaped

224-467: The Cretaceous . The relationships between these three lineages is contentious, and all three possible hypotheses have been proposed with respect to which group is basal . These hypotheses are Atlantogenata (basal Boreoeutheria), Epitheria (basal Xenarthra) and Exafroplacentalia (basal Afrotheria). Boreoeutheria in turn contains two major lineages— Euarchontoglires and Laurasiatheria . Estimates for

256-604: The Enchele . The tribal territory of the Taulantii and of the Labeatae was most likely located near the river. Rivers of Albania Albania has an extensive hydrographic network of 152 rivers and streams, including 10 large rivers flowing from southeast to northwest, mainly discharging towards the Adriatic Sea . Combined, they produce a total annual flow rate of 1,308 cubic metres per second (46,200 cu ft/s). In

288-768: The Gulf of Drin into the Adriatic Sea southwest of Lezhë , forming the Mouth of Drin. The other empties into the Bojana River near the Rozafa Castle . The Black Drin flows out from the Lake Ohrid near Struga through western North Macedonia and then eastern Albania. The White Drin originates from the Žljeb mountain, north of the town of Peja in the Metohija region of Kosovo , and flows from there through to Albania. The basin encompasses

320-550: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) completed a five-year Global Mammal Assessment for its IUCN Red List , which counted 5,488 species. According to research published in the Journal of Mammalogy in 2018, the number of recognised mammal species is 6,495, including 96 recently extinct. The word " mammal " is modern, from the scientific name Mammalia coined by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, derived from

352-493: The Latin mamma ("teat, pap"). In an influential 1988 paper, Timothy Rowe defined Mammalia phylogenetically as the crown group of mammals, the clade consisting of the most recent common ancestor of living monotremes ( echidnas and platypuses ) and therians ( marsupials and placentals ) and all descendants of that ancestor. Since this ancestor lived in the Jurassic period, Rowe's definition excludes all animals from

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384-590: The biological classification scheme used, are the primates : apes , monkeys , and lemurs ; the Cetartiodactyla : whales and even-toed ungulates ; and the Carnivora which includes cats , dogs , weasels , bears , seals , and allies. According to Mammal Species of the World , 5,416 species were identified in 2006. These were grouped into 1,229  genera , 153  families and 29 orders. In 2008,

416-406: The dominant terrestrial animal group from 66 million years ago to the present. The basic mammalian body type is quadrupedal , with most mammals using four limbs for terrestrial locomotion ; but in some, the limbs are adapted for life at sea , in the air , in trees or underground . The bipeds have adapted to move using only the two lower limbs, while the rear limbs of cetaceans and

448-430: The rodents , bats , and eulipotyphlans (including hedgehogs , moles and shrews ). The next three are the primates (including humans , monkeys and lemurs ), the even-toed ungulates (including pigs , camels , and whales ), and the Carnivora (including cats , dogs , and seals ). Mammals are the only living members of Synapsida ; this clade , together with Sauropsida (reptiles and birds), constitutes

480-439: The sea cows are mere internal vestiges . Mammals range in size from the 30–40 millimetres (1.2–1.6 in) bumblebee bat to the 30 metres (98 ft) blue whale —possibly the largest animal to have ever lived. Maximum lifespan varies from two years for the shrew to 211 years for the bowhead whale . All modern mammals give birth to live young, except the five species of monotremes , which lay eggs. The most species-rich group

512-553: The Black Drin. The artificial Lake Fierza created by the dam at Fierzë is the largest artificial lake in Albania with its surface of 73 km. The second largest artificial lake is also built on this river. Vau i Dejës lake has an area of 25 km. Construction of the Fierza power station caused some controversy in the 1980s. Without reaching any agreement, the Albanian government ordered

544-460: The Elder ( fl. 1st century AD) and is most likely primary. The ancient name Drinus has undergone sound changes reaching the current Albanian form Drin through the evolution of Albanian sound changes . The Macedonian name of the river is Дрим, Drim . Homonym rivers are Drino between southern Albania and northwestern Greece , and Drina between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia . After

576-483: The case of humans, complex language . Mammals can organise themselves into fission–fusion societies , harems , and hierarchies —but can also be solitary and territorial . Most mammals are polygynous , but some can be monogamous or polyandrous . Domestication of many types of mammals by humans played a major role in the Neolithic Revolution , and resulted in farming replacing hunting and gathering as

608-800: The clade originating with the last common ancestor of Sinoconodon and living mammals. The earliest-known synapsid satisfying Kemp's definitions is Tikitherium , dated 225 Ma , so the appearance of mammals in this broader sense can be given this Late Triassic date. However, this animal may have actually evolved during the Neogene. As of the early 21st century, molecular studies based on DNA analysis have suggested new relationships among mammal families. Most of these findings have been independently validated by retrotransposon presence/absence data . Classification systems based on molecular studies reveal three major groups or lineages of placentals— Afrotheria , Xenarthra and Boreoeutheria —which diverged in

640-442: The closest thing to an official classification of mammals, despite its known issues. Most mammals, including the six most species-rich orders, belong to the placental group. The three largest orders in numbers of species are Rodentia : mice , rats , porcupines , beavers , capybaras , and other gnawing mammals; Chiroptera : bats; and Eulipotyphla : shrews , moles , and solenodons . The next three biggest orders, depending on

672-475: The confluence of its two tributaries, near the town of Kukës in the northeast Albania , Drin flows west, passing through the Albanian Alps and Fierzë then upon reaching the Dukagjini highlands , flowing then to the south through Apripë e Gurit, Toplanë, Dushman, Koman , Vjerdhë Mazrrek, Rragam, and Pale Lalej. At Vau i Dejës , it enters the low Shkodër Field and splits into two distributaries. One empties into

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704-574: The earlier Triassic , despite the fact that Triassic fossils in the Haramiyida have been referred to the Mammalia since the mid-19th century. If Mammalia is considered as the crown group, its origin can be roughly dated as the first known appearance of animals more closely related to some extant mammals than to others. Ambondro is more closely related to monotremes than to therian mammals while Amphilestes and Amphitherium are more closely related to

736-452: The end of the 20th century. However, since 1945, a large amount of new and more detailed information has gradually been found: The palaeontological record has been recalibrated, and the intervening years have seen much debate and progress concerning the theoretical underpinnings of systematisation itself, partly through the new concept of cladistics . Though fieldwork and lab work progressively outdated Simpson's classification, it remains

768-647: The larger Amniota clade. Early synapsids are referred to as " pelycosaurs ." The more advanced therapsids became dominant during the Guadalupian . Mammals originated from cynodonts , an advanced group of therapsids, during the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic . Mammals achieved their modern diversity in the Palaeogene and Neogene periods of the Cenozoic era, after the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs , and have been

800-450: The largest annual flow (40%), followed by spring, autumn, and summer. The rivers contain an average mineralization of 150 to 500 mg/L and an average annual volume of suspended solids of 60 million tons, with greater erosion occurring in the catchment basins of Osum , Devoll , and Erzen . Temperatures in the winter months fall to 3.5-8.9°C, and in the summer months reach 17.8-24.6°C. Organized by drainage basin . Albanian-language names of

832-505: The largest hydroelectric power station group in the Balkans regarding the installed capacity and reservoir capacity. The Drin is extremely important for the Albanian economy, especially for its electrical production. The three largest hydropower facilities produce 70.6% of Albania's electricity (approx. 1400MW of total installed capacity). North Macedonia has built two hydropower plants – Globocica (42 MW) and Spilje Hydro Power Plant (84 MW) on

864-435: The mountainous regions, the rivers meander through narrow valleys with steep banks and great depth, collecting streams and silt during heavy rains. Their beds become erosive, causing frequent changes in their paths. The rivers are mainly fed by atmospheric precipitation (65-92%) and underground water (8-35%), with an average rainfall layer of 1,494 mm and a runoff layer of 945 mm. Water flow varies by season, with winter having

896-717: The primary source of food for humans. This led to a major restructuring of human societies from nomadic to sedentary, with more co-operation among larger and larger groups, and ultimately the development of the first civilisations . Domesticated mammals provided, and continue to provide, power for transport and agriculture, as well as food ( meat and dairy products ), fur , and leather . Mammals are also hunted and raced for sport, kept as pets and working animals of various types, and are used as model organisms in science. Mammals have been depicted in art since Palaeolithic times, and appear in literature, film, mythology, and religion. Decline in numbers and extinction of many mammals

928-421: The reservoir to be filled with water, which flooded some border areas of Kosovo , then part of Yugoslavia . The Yugoslav government protested, but no solution was agreed on. Thus, today, Lake Fierza is shared by Albania and Kosovo. The ancient name of the river was Drilon . The valley of the river was inhabited by several Illyrian peoples . It was probably dominated at some point and to some extent by

960-537: The therians; as fossils of all three genera are dated about 167 million years ago in the Middle Jurassic , this is a reasonable estimate for the appearance of the crown group. T. S. Kemp has provided a more traditional definition: " Synapsids that possess a dentary – squamosal jaw articulation and occlusion between upper and lower molars with a transverse component to the movement" or, equivalently in Kemp's view,

992-530: The transboundary subbasins of Lake Shkodër (largest lake in Southern Europe), Lake Ohrid (one of the most ancient lakes in the World), Lake Prespa and Small Prespa Lake and also the tributaries, namely Black Drin , White Drin and Bojana River . All these subbasins and tributaries are home to numerous species of mammals , vascular plants , insects , amphibians , fish and birds . Drin river contains

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1024-406: The water bodies are listed if different from English. Italics indicate that the body of water is not in or bordering Albania. Mammal A mammal (from Latin mamma  'breast') is a vertebrate animal of the class Mammalia ( / m ə ˈ m eɪ l i . ə / ). Mammals are characterised by the presence of milk -producing mammary glands for feeding their young,

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