List of mammals of Great Britain
Template:Short description Template:More citations needed Template:Wildlife of Great Britain This is a list of mammals of Great Britain. The diversity of mammal fauna of Great Britain is somewhat impoverished compared to that of Continental Europe, due to the short period of time between the last ice age and the flooding of the land bridge between Great Britain and the rest of Europe. Only those land species which crossed before the creation of the English Channel and those introduced by humans exist in Great Britain.
Native (usually synonymous with "indigenous") species are considered to be species which are today present in the region in question, and have been continuously present in that region since a certain period of time. When applied to Great Britain, three possible definitions of this time constraint are:
- a species that colonised the islands during the glacial retreat at the end of the last ice age (Template:Circa 9500 years ago);
- a species that was present when the English Channel was created (c. 8000 years ago); or,
- a species that was present in prehistory.
This list includes mammals from the small islands around Great Britain and the Channel Islands. There are no endemic mammal species in Great Britain, although four distinct subspecies of rodents have arisen on small islands.
The following tags are used to highlight the conservation status of each species' British population, as assessed by Natural England and The Mammal Society in a Regional Red List, following the criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
| Template:IUCN status | Extinct | No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. |
| Template:IUCN status | Extinct in the wild | Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalised population well outside its previous range. |
| Template:IUCN status | Critically endangered | The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild. |
| Template:IUCN status | Endangered | The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. |
| Template:IUCN status | Vulnerable | The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. |
| Template:IUCN status | Near threatened | The species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to in the future. |
| Template:IUCN status | Least concern | There are no current identifiable risks to the species. |
| Template:IUCN status | Data deficient | There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species. |
Diprotodonts
Order: Diprotodontia
Although marsupials are primarily found in the Australian region, the red-necked wallaby has been introduced to parts of Great Britain. Feral populations breed on the island of Inchconnachan on Loch Lomond in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, and on the Isle of Man. Other colonies have existed in Devon, the Peak District, and the Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, and although these are now believed to be locally extinct, occasional sightings continue.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Family: Macropodidae (kangaroos, wallabies, and kin)
- Red-necked wallaby, Notamacropus rufogriseus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> introduced
Rodents
Order: Rodentia
Rodents are the largest order of mammals, comprising 40% of all species. They are characterised by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws and are native to almost all major landmasses on Earth.
Family: Castoridae (beavers)
- Eurasian beaver, Castor fiber Template:IUCN status globally, Template:IUCN status in Great Britain, reintroduced<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref><ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref>
Family: Cricetidae (hamsters, voles, and kin)
- European water vole, Arvicola amphibius Template:IUCN status globally,<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref> Template:IUCN status in Great Britain
- Short-tailed field vole, Microtus agrestis Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Common vole, Microtus arvalis Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Orkney vole, M. a. orcadensis Template:IUCN status<ref name=":0" />
- Bank vole, Myodes glareolus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Family: Muridae (mice, rats, and kin)
.jpg){kind=link}
- Yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- St Kilda field mouse, A. s. hirtensis
- Eurasian harvest mouse, Micromys minutus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- House mouse, Mus musculus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
- St Kilda house mouse, M. m. muralis Template:IUCN status c. 1930
- Brown rat, Rattus norvegicus Template:IUCN status introduced<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Black rat, Rattus rattus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref> introduced<ref name="RRL">Template:Cite book</ref>
Family: Gliridae (dormice)
- European edible dormouse, Glis glis Template:IUCN status introduced<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Hazel dormouse, Muscardinus avellanarius Template:IUCN status globally,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Template:IUCN status in Great Britain<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
- Eastern grey squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis Template:IUCN status introduced<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Red squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris Template:IUCN status globally,<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref> Template:IUCN status in Great Britain<ref name=":0" />
Lagomorphs
Order: Lagomorpha
The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). Although they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early 20th century, they have since been considered a separate order. They differ from rodents in a number of physical characteristics, such as having four incisors in the upper jaw rather than two.
Family: Leporidae (rabbits and hares)
- European hare, Lepus europaeus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref> introduced
- Mountain hare, Lepus timidus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref> introduced
Eulipotyphlans
Order: Eulipotyphla
The order Eulipotyphla contains insectivorous mammals. Hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines, while gymnures look more like large rats. Shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice, while moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
.jpg){kind=link}
Family: Talpidae (moles)
- European mole, Talpa europaea Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Family: Soricidae (shrews)
- Lesser white-toothed shrew, Crocidura suaveolens Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Eurasian water shrew, Neomys fodiens Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Common shrew, Sorex araneus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Eurasian pygmy shrew, Sorex minutus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs and moonrats)
- European hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus Template:IUCN status globally,<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref> Template:IUCN status in Great Britain<ref name=":0" />
Bats
Order: Chiroptera
Bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.
Family: Rhinolophidae (horseshoe bats)
- Lesser horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus hipposideros Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Family: Vespertilionidae (common bats, vesper bats, and kin)
- Western barbastelle, Barbastella barbastellus Template:IUCN status globally,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Template:IUCN status in Great Britain<ref name=":0" />
- Serotine bat, Eptesicus serotinus Template:IUCN status globally,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Template:IUCN status in Great Britain<ref name=":0" />
- Bechstein's bat, Myotis bechsteini Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
- Brandt's bat, Myotis brandti Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Daubenton's bat, Myotis daubentoni Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Greater mouse-eared bat, Myotis myotis Template:IUCN status globally, Template:IUCN status or possibly extirpated in Great Britain<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref><ref name=":0" />
- Whiskered bat, Myotis mystacinus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Natterer's bat, Myotis nattereri Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Lesser noctule, Nyctalus leisleri Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
- Common noctule, Nyctalus noctula Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
- Nathusius pipistrelle, Pipistrellus nathusii Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
- Common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Soprano pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pygmaeus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Brown long-eared bat, Plecotus auritus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Grey long-eared bat, Plecotus austriacus Template:IUCN status globally,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Template:IUCN status in Great Britain<ref name=":0" />
- Parti-coloured bat, Vespertilio murinus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Carnivorans
Order: Carnivora
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
Family: Canidae (dogs)
- Red fox, Vulpes vulpes Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
Family: Mustelidae (weasels, badgers, and kin)
- Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
- European pine marten, Martes martes Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
- European badger, Meles meles Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
- Stoat, Mustela erminea Template:IUCN status,<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
- Least weasel, Mustela nivalis Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
- European polecat, Mustela putorius Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
- American mink, Neogale vison Template:IUCN status introduced<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
Family: Felidae (cats)
- European wildcat, Felis silvestris Template:IUCN status globally,<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref> Template:IUCN status in Great Britain<ref name=":0" />
- Scottish wildcat, F. s. silvestris <ref name="CatSG2017">Template:Cite journal</ref>
Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
- Grey seal, Halichoerus grypus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite IUCN</ref>
- Harbour seal, Phoca vitulina Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite IUCN</ref>
Even-toed ungulates
Order: Artiodactyla
The even-toed ungulates are ungulates whose weight is borne about equally by the third and fourth toes, rather than mostly or entirely by the third as in perissodactyls. There are about 220 artiodactyl species, including many that are of great economic importance to humans. Cetaceans are also considered to be even-toed ungulates for phylogenetic reasons.
Family: Suidae (pigs)
- Wild boar, Sus scrofa Template:IUCN status reintroduced<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
Family: Cervidae (deer)
- Roe deer, Capreolus capreolus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
- Siberian roe deer, Capreolus pygargus Template:IUCN status,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> introduced, extirpated<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- Red deer, Cervus elaphus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Scottish red deer, C. e. scoticus
- Sika deer, Cervus nippon Template:IUCN status introduced<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- European fallow deer, Dama dama Template:IUCN status introduced<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Water deer, Hydropotes inermis Template:IUCN status introduced<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Reeves's muntjac, Muntiacus reevesi Template:IUCN status introduced<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Family: Bovidae (cattle, bison, and kin)
- European bison, Bison bonasus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> reintroduced<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Whales and dolphins
Order: Cetacea
The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. They are the mammals most fully adapted to aquatic life: they have a spindle-shaped, nearly hairless body, protected by a thick layer of blubber, and forelimbs and tail modified to provide propulsion underwater.
Family: Balaenidae (right whales and bowhead whales)
- North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis Template:IUCN status globally, possibly extant in Great Britain<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Family: Balaenopteridae (rorquals)
- Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
- Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Family: Phocoenidae (porpoises)
- Harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena Template:IUCN status globally, Template:IUCN status in Europe<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales)
- Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Family: Kogiidae (pygmy and dwarf sperm whales)
- Pygmy sperm whale, K. breviceps Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
Family: Ziphiidae (beaked whales)
- Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Northern bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Sowerby's beaked whale, Mesoplodon bidens Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Gervais' beaked whale, Mesoplodon europaeus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- True's beaked whale, Mesoplodon mirus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Family: Delphinidae (oceanic dolphins)
- White-beaked dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Atlantic white-sided dolphin, Lagenorhynchus acutus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Common dolphin, Delphinus delphis Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
- Orca, Orcinus orca Template:IUCN status<ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
Locally extinct
- Eurasian elk, Alces alces
- Grey wolf, Canis lupus
- Wolverine, Gulo gulo
- Eurasian lynx, Lynx lynx
- Reindeer, Rangifer tarandus
- Brown bear, Ursus arctos
See also
- Biota of the Isle of Man
- List of endemic species of the British Isles
- List of extinct animals of the British Isles
- List of mammals of Ireland