James Dwyer, age 10, of Shelton, Wash., for his question:     

DO ANIMALS' HEARTS BEAT FASTER THAN OURS?         

Each animal species has its own special pulse, which is the rate of his normal heartbeat. The normal human pulse is 70 times per minute. Most birds, especially the small ones, have much faster heart beats, and the smaller mammals tend to have faster pulses. For example, the heart of a little mouse may beat 328 or even 700 times a minute. But the pulse of a resting elephant is around 22, and the heart of the lordly lion beats about 40 times a minute. A badger's normal pulse is about 130.