How does an animal evolve from one species to another when different species can reproduce?
Different species CAN reproduce, if they’re closely related enough. You must have heard of a mule – that’s the offspring of a donkey and a horse, two different species. Most species can interbreed with other species in the same genus, and inter-genus hybrids between members of the same family are also possible in some cases. However, evolution doesn’t happen by one species mating with another, and a new species being born. It occurs through natural selection. Individuals in a population naturally have slight variations – those that have variations that provide them with a slight survival advantage, say a longer neck or thicker fur, are better able to survive and breed, and pass on those genes to their young. Over thousands of generations, those features become more pronounced, until eventually the animals are a different species to their ancestors.
