Animals needing mushy peas? (4)
I believe the answer is:
apes
'animals' is the definition.
(ape is a kind of animal)
'mushy peas?' is the wordplay.
'mushy' indicates an anagram (letters mushed up).
'peas' anagrammed gives 'APES'.
'needing' is the link.
(Other definitions for apes that I've seen before include "Imitates like primates" , "Peas (anag)" , "Zoo animals" , "Mimics like primates" , "Species of primate" .)