# List of mammals of South Ossetia

This is a list of the mammal species recorded in South Ossetia.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:
| EX | Extinct | No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. |
| EW | Extinct in the wild | Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range. |
| CR | Critically endangered | The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild. |
| EN | Endangered | The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. |
| VU | Vulnerable | The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. |
| NT | Near threatened | The species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to do so in the future. |
| LC | Least concern | There are no current identifiable risks to the species. |
| DD | Data deficient | There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species. |
Some species were assessed using an earlier set of criteria. Species assessed using this system have the following instead of near threatened and least concern categories:
| LR/cd | Lower risk/conservation dependent | Species which were the focus of conservation programmes and may have moved into a higher risk category if that programme was discontinued. |
| LR/nt | Lower risk/near threatened | Species which are close to being classified as vulnerable but are not the subject of conservation programmes. |
| LC | Lower risk/least concern | Species for which there are no identifiable risks. |

## Order: Rodentia (rodents)

* Suborder: Sciurognathi
*** Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
**** Subfamily: Sciurinae
***** Tribe: Sciurini
****** Genus: Sciurus
******* Caucasian squirrel, S. anomalus LC
**** Subfamily: Xerinae
***** Tribe: Marmotini
****** Genus: Spermophilus
******* Caucasian mountain ground squirrel, Spermophilus musicus LC
******* Little ground squirrel, Spermophilus pygmaeus LC
*** Family: Gliridae (dormice)
**** Subfamily: Leithiinae
***** Genus: Dryomys
****** Forest dormouse, Dryomys nitedula LR/nt
**** Subfamily: Glirinae
***** Genus: Glis
****** European edible dormouse, Glis glis LR/nt
*** Family: Dipodidae (jerboas)
**** Subfamily: Allactaginae
***** Genus: Allactaga
****** Small five-toed jerboa, Allactaga elater LC
**** Subfamily: Sicistinae
***** Genus: Sicista
****** Northern birch mouse, Sicista betulina LR/nt
****** Caucasian birch mouse, Sicista caucasica LC
****** Kazbeg birch mouse, Sicista kazbegica DD
*** Family: Cricetidae
**** Subfamily: Cricetinae
***** Genus: Cricetus
****** European hamster, Cricetus cricetus LC
****** Ciscaucasian hamster, Mesocricetus raddei LC
**** Subfamily: Arvicolinae
***** Genus: Chionomys
****** Caucasian snow vole, Chionomys gud LR/nt
****** Robert's snow vole, Chionomys roberti LR/nt
***** Genus: Ellobius
****** Transcaucasian mole vole, Ellobius lutescens LC
***** Genus: Microtus
****** Altai vole, Microtus obscurus LC
*** Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
**** Subfamily: Murinae
***** Genus: Apodemus
****** Striped field mouse, Apodemus agrarius LC
****** Yellow-breasted field mouse, Apodemus fulvipectus LC
****** Black Sea field mouse, Apodemus ponticus LC
****** Ural field mouse, Apodemus uralensis LC
***** Genus: Micromys
****** Harvest mouse, Micromys minutus LR/nt

## Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)

The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and gymnures. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines.
** Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs)
*** Subfamily: Erinaceinae
**** Genus: Erinaceus
***** Southern white-breasted hedgehog, Erinaceus concolor LC

## Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)

The Soricomorpha are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons resemble mice.
** Family: Soricidae (shrews)
*** Subfamily: Crocidurinae
**** Genus: Crocidura
***** Gueldenstaedt's shrew, Crocidura gueldenstaedtii LC
***** Bicolored shrew, Crocidura leucodon LC
***** Lesser white-toothed shrew, Crocidura suaveolens LC
**** Tribe: Soricini
***** Genus: Sorex
****** Eurasian pygmy shrew, Sorex minutus LC
****** Radde's shrew, Sorex raddei LC
****** Caucasian pygmy shrew, Sorex volnuchini LC

## Order: Chiroptera (bats)

The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight.
** Family: Vespertilionidae
*** Subfamily: Myotinae
**** Genus: Myotis
***** Bechstein's bat, Myotis bechsteini VU
***** Lesser mouse-eared bat, Myotis blythii LC
***** Geoffroy's bat, Myotis emarginatus VU
***** Natterer's bat, Myotis nattereri LC
*** Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
**** Genus: Barbastella
***** Barbastelle, Barbastella barbastellus VU
**** Genus: Eptesicus
***** Northern bat, Eptesicus nilssoni LC
**** Genus: Nyctalus
***** Greater noctule bat, Nyctalus lasiopterus LR/nt
***** Lesser noctule, Nyctalus leisleri LR/nt
**** Genus: Pipistrellus
***** Nathusius' pipistrelle, Pipistrellus nathusii LC
**** Genus: Plecotus
***** Brown long-eared bat, Plecotus auritus LC
*** Subfamily: Miniopterinae
**** Genus: Miniopterus
***** Schreibers' long-fingered bat, Miniopterus schreibersii LC
** Family: Rhinolophidae
*** Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
**** Genus: Rhinolophus
***** Mediterranean horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus euryale VU
***** Greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum LR/nt
***** Lesser horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus hipposideros LC
***** Mehely's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus mehelyi VU

## Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)

The majority of the species of carnivorans feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
* Suborder: Feliformia
** Family: Felidae (cats)
*** Subfamily: Felinae
**** Genus: Felis
***** Wildcat, Felis silvestris LC
**** Genus: Lynx
***** Eurasian lynx, Lynx lynx NT
*** Subfamily: Pantherinae
**** Genus: Panthera
***** Leopard, Panthera pardus LC
* Suborder: Caniformia
** Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
*** Genus: Vulpes
**** Red fox, Vulpes vulpes LC
*** Genus: Canis
**** Gray wolf, Canis lupus LC
** Family: Ursidae (bears)
*** Genus: Ursus
**** Brown bear, Ursus arctos LC
** Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
*** Genus: Mustela
**** Stoat, Mustela erminea LC
**** Steppe polecat, Mustela eversmannii LC
**** European mink, Mustela lutreola EN
**** Least weasel, Mustela nivalis LC
*** Genus: Vormela
**** Marbled polecat, Vormela peregusna LC
*** Genus: Martes
**** Beech marten, Martes foina LC
**** Pine marten, Martes martes LC
*** Genus: Meles
**** Caucasian badger, M. canescens NE
*** Genus: Lutra
**** European otter, Lutra lutra NT
** Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
*** Genus: Monachus
**** Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus monachus CR

## Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)

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.
* Family: Cervidae (deer)
** Subfamily: Cervinae
*** Genus: Cervus
**** Red deer, C. elaphus LC
** Subfamily: Capreolinae
*** Genus: Alces
**** Moose, A. alces LC extirpated
***** Caucasian moose, A. a. caucasicus EX
* Family: Bovidae (bovids)
** Subfamily: Caprinae
*** Genus: Capra
**** Wild goat, C. aegagrus NT
**** West Caucasian tur, C. caucasica EN
**** East Caucasian tur, C. cylindricornis VU
*** Genus: Ovis
**** Argali, O. ammon NT
*** Genus: Rupicapra
**** Chamois, R. rupicapra LC