Question: Are there any endangered species in Ireland?

List of mammals of Ireland

This is a list of the 60 mammal species recorded in Ireland. A new Red List of Irish terrestrial mammals was published in 2009 and all 26 terrestrial species native to Ireland, or naturalised in Ireland before 1500, were assessed. Of these, one was found to be regionally extinct (grey wolf Canis lupus), one achieved a threat status of Vulnerable (black rat Rattus rattus), three were found to be Near Threatened (Leisler's bat Nyctalus leisleri), otter (Lutra lutra) and red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), one was data deficient (Brandt's bat Myotis brandtii) and the remaining 20 were of least concern.[1]
The following tag are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the IUCN:

Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Metatheria
Order: Diprotodontia
Though most marsupials make up a great part of the fauna in the Australian region, the red-necked wallaby has been introduced and a population is currently breeding on the island of Lambay.[2]
Family: Macropodidae (kangaroos, wallabies, and kin)
Genus: Macropus
Red-necked wallaby Macropus rufogriseus EN introduced
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Rodentia (rodents)

Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40 percent of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be keep short by gnawing.
Suborder: Sciurognathi
Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
Subfamily: Sciurinae
Genus: Sciurus
Red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris NT
Eastern grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis LC introduced
Family: Cricetidae
Subfamily: Arvicolinae
Genus: Myodes
Bank vole Myodes glareolus LC introduced
Family: Muridae (mice, rats, etc.)
Subfamily: Murinae
Genus: Mus
House mouse Mus musculus LC
Genus: Apodemus
Wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus LC
Genus: Rattus
Brown rat Rattus norvegicus LC introduced
Black rat Rattus rattus VU introduced
Family: Gliridae
Subfamily: Leithiinae
Genus: Muscardinus
Hazel dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius LC introduced[3]
Order: Lagomorpha (lagomorphs)

The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). Though 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, hares)
Genus: Oryctolagus
European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus LC introduced
Genus: Lepus
Mountain hare Lepus timidus LC
European hare Lepus europaeus LC introduced
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 while gymnures look more like large rats.
Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs)
Subfamily: Erinaceinae
Genus: Erinaceus
West European hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus LC
Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)

The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
Family: Soricidae (shrews)
Subfamily: Soricinae
Genus: Sorex
Eurasian pygmy shrew Sorex minutus LC introduced[4]
Genus: Crocidura
Greater white-toothed shrew Crocidura russula LC introduced[5]
Order: Chiroptera (bats)


The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals in the world naturally capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.
Family: Vespertilionidae
Subfamily: Myotinae
Genus: Myotis
Daubenton's bat Myotis daubentonii LC
Whiskered bat Myotis mystacinus LC
Brandt's bat Myotis brandti DD
Natterer's bat Myotis nattereri LC
Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
Genus: Nyctalus
Leisler's bat Nyctalus leisleri NT
Genus: Pipistrellus
Common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus LC
Soprano pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus LC
Nathusius pipistrelle Pipistrellus nathusii LC
Genus: Plecotus
Brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritus LC
Family: Rhinolophidae
Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
Genus: Rhinolophus
Lesser horseshoe bat Rhinolophus hipposideros LC
Order: Cetacea (whales)






The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. They are the mammals most fully adapted to aquatic life with a spindle-shaped nearly hairless body, protected by a thick layer of blubber, and forelimbs and tail modified to provide propulsion underwater.
Suborder: Mysticeti
Family: Balaenidae (right whales)
Genus: Balaena
Bowhead whale Balaena mysticetus EN vagrant[6]
Genus: Eubalaena
North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis CR
Family: Eschrichtiidae (gray whales)
Genus: Eschrichtius
Gray whale Eschrichtius robustus EX
Family: Balaenopteridae (rorqual)
Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
Genus: Balaenoptera
Common minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata LC
Sei whale Balaenoptera borealis EN
Fin whale Balaenoptera physalus NT
Blue whale Balaenoptera musculus EN [7]
Family: Megapterinae
Genus: Megaptera
Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae LC
Suborder: Odontoceti
Superfamily: Platanistoidea
Family: Monodontidae (narwhals)
Genus: Delphinapterus
Beluga Delphinapterus leucas LC vagrant
Family: Phocoenidae (porpoises)
Genus: Phocoena
Harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena VU
Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales)
Genus: Physeter
Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus VU
Family: Kogiidae
Genus: Kogia
Pygmy sperm whale Kogia breviceps DD
Family: Ziphidae (beaked whales)
Genus: Ziphius
Cuvier's beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris DD
Subfamily: Hyperoodontinae
Genus: Hyperoodon
Northern bottlenose whale Hyperoodon ampullatus DD
Genus: Mesoplodon
Sowerby's beaked whale Mesoplodon bidens DD
Gervais' beaked whale Mesoplodon europaeus DD
True's beaked whale Mesoplodon mirus DD
Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
Genus: Delphinus
Short-beaked common dolphin Delphinus delphis DD
Genus: Tursiops
Common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus DD
Genus: Stenella
Striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba DD
Genus: Lagenorhynchus
Atlantic white-sided dolphin Lagenorhynchus acutus LC
White-beaked dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris LC
Genus: Grampus
Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus DD
Genus: Globicephala
Long-finned pilot whale Globicephala melas DD
Genus: Pseudorca
False killer whale Pseudorca crassidens DD
Genus: Orcinus
Orca Orcinus orca DD
Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)


Carnivorans include over 260 species, the majority of which eat meat as their primary dietary item. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
Suborder: Caniformia
Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
Genus: Vulpes
Red fox Vulpes vulpes LC
Genus: Canis
Grey wolf Canis lupus EX [8]
Family: Felidae (cats)
Genus: Felis
Wildcat Felis sylvestris EX
Feral cat Felis sylvestris catus LC introduced
Family: Ursidae (bears)
Genus: Ursus
Brown bear Ursus arctos EX
Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
Genus: Neovison
American mink Neovison vison, LC introduced
Genus: Mustela
Stoat Mustela erminea LC
Genus: Martes
European pine marten Martes martes LC
Genus: Meles
Eurasian badger Meles meles LC
Genus: Lutra
European otter Lutra lutra NT
Family: Odobenidae
Genus: Odobenus
Walrus Odobenus rosmarus VU vagrant
Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
Genus: Halichoerus
Grey seal Halichoerus grypus LC
Genus: Phoca
Common seal Phoca vitulina LC
Genus: Erignathus
Bearded seal Erignathus barbatus LC vagrant
Genus: Pusa
Ringed seal Pusa hispida LC vagrant
Genus: Pagophilus
Harp seal  Pagophilus groenlandicus LC vagrant
Genus: Cystophora
Hooded seal Cystophora cristatus VU vagrant
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. There are about 220 artiodactyl species, including many that are of great economic importance to humans.
Family: Suidae (pigs)
Subfamily: Suinae
Genus: Sus
Boar Sus scrofa EX
Feral pig Sus scrofa domesticus LC introduced[9][10]
Family: Cervidae (deer)
Subfamily: Cervinae
Genus: Cervus
Red deer Cervus elaphus LC reintroduced[11]
Reeves's muntjac Muntiacus reevesi LC introduced[12]
Roe deer Capreolus capreolus LC reintroduced
Sika deer Cervus nippon LC introduced
Subfamily: Capreolinae
Genus: Dama
Fallow deer Dama dama LC introduced
See also
List of chordate orders
List of regional mammals lists
List of prehistoric mammals
Mammal classification
New mammal species
Fauna of Ireland
Notes





Smiddy, P. 1999 Re-assessment of the Irish records of ringed, harp and hooded seals. Irish Naturalists' Journal 26: 249-250
Comparison with Great Britain
The following species are found in Great Britain but not in Ireland:
Field vole Microtus agrestis
Common vole M. arvalis
Water vole Arvicola terrestris
Harvest mouse Micromys minutus
Yellow-necked mouse A. flavicollis
Edible dormouse Glis glis
European mole Talpa europaea
Common shrew Sorex araneus
Eurasian water shrew Neomys fodiens
Lesser white-toothed shrew Crocidura suaveolens
Greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum
Greater mouse-eared bat Myotis myotis
Bechstein's bat M. bechsteini
Parti-coloured bat Vespertilio murinus
Serotine Eptesicus serotinus
Northern bat E. nilssoni
Common noctule Nyctalus noctula
Hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus
Barbastelle Barbastella barbastellus
Grey long-eared bat Plecotus austriacus
Least weasel Mustela nivalis
European polecat M. putorius
European wildcat Felis sylvestris silvestris
Water deer Hydropotes inermis – Introduced c.1896.
Eurasian beaver Castor fiber – Reintroduced 2009

 Northern Ireland Mammals, Amphibians and Reptiles.Includes more extinct mammals.
 Breeding populations of Grey seals in the Republic of Ireland