How many mammal species are in the world?

It's difficult to give an exact number of mammal species in the world because:

* New species are constantly being discovered: Scientists are still exploring the planet and finding new mammals.

* Defining a species can be tricky: There is ongoing debate about what constitutes a distinct species, especially in cases of subspecies or populations with slight variations.

However, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are currently around 5,700 recognized mammal species. This number is constantly evolving as research progresses.