page_title: List of mammals of South Africa
section_title: Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)
hierarchical_section_title: List of mammals of South Africa / Subclass: Theria / Infraclass: Eutheria / Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)
caption_attribution_description: Suricata suricatta (Schreber, 1776) English: Meerkat at Antwerp Zoo.
context_page_description: This is a list of the mammal species recorded in South Africa. There are 299 mammal species in South Africa, of which two are critically endangered, eleven are endangered, fifteen are vulnerable, and thirteen are near threatened. Two of the species listed for South Africa are considered to be extinct.
  The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:
  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:
context_section_description: There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
  Suborder: Feliformia
  Family: Felidae
  Subfamily: Pantherinae
  Genus: Panthera
  Lion, Panthera leo VU
  P. l. melanochaita
  Leopard, Panthera pardus VU
  African leopard, P. p. pardus
  Subfamily: Felinae
  Genus: Acinonyx
  Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus VU
  Southeast African cheetah, A. j. jubatus
  Genus: Caracal
  Caracal, Caracal caracal LC
  Genus: Leptailurus
  Serval, Leptailurus serval LC
  Genus: Felis
  Black-footed cat, Felis nigripes VU
  African wildcat, Felis lybica LC
  Family: Viverridae
  Subfamily: Viverrinae
  Genus: Civettictis
  African civet, Civettictis civetta LC
  Genus: Genetta
  Common genet, Genetta genetta LC
  Rusty-spotted genet, Genetta maculata LC
  Cape genet, Genetta tigrina LC
  Family: Herpestidae (mongooses)
  Genus: Atilax
  Marsh mongoose, Atilax paludinosus LC
  Genus: Cynictis
  Yellow mongoose, Cynictis penicillata LC
  Genus: Galerella
  Cape grey mongoose, Galerella pulverulenta LC
  Slender mongoose, Galerella sanguinea LC
  Genus: Helogale
  Common dwarf mongoose, Helogale parvula LC
  Genus: Herpestes
  Egyptian mongoose, Herpestes ichneumon LC
  Genus: Ichneumia
  White-tailed mongoose, Ichneumia albicauda LC
  Genus: Mungos
  Banded mongoose, Mungos mungo LC
  Genus: Paracynictis
  Selous' mongoose, Paracynictis selousi LC
  Genus: Rhynchogale
  Meller's mongoose, Rhynchogale melleri LC
  Genus: Suricata
  Meerkat, Suricata suricatta LC
  Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas)
  Genus: Crocuta
  Spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta LC
  Genus: Hyaena
  Brown hyena, Hyaena brunnea NT
  Genus: Proteles
  Aardwolf, Proteles cristatus LC
  Suborder: Caniformia
  Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
  Genus: Vulpes
  Cape fox, Vulpes chama LC
  Genus: Canis
  Side-striped jackal, Canis adustus LC
  Black-backed jackal, Canis mesomelas LC
  Genus: Otocyon
  Bat-eared fox, Otocyon megalotis LC
  Genus: Lycaon
  Cape wild dog, Lycaon pictus pictus EN
  Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
  Genus: Ictonyx
  Striped polecat, Ictonyx striatus LC
  Genus: Poecilogale
  African striped weasel, Poecilogale albinucha LC
  Genus: Mellivora
  Ratel, Mellivora capensis LC
  Genus: Lutra
  Speckle-throated otter, Lutra maculicollis LC
  Genus: Aonyx
  African clawless otter, Aonyx capensis LC
  Family: Otariidae (eared seals, sealions)
  Genus: Arctocephalus
  Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella LC
  Cape fur seal, Arctocephalus pusillus LC
  Subantarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus tropicalis LC
  Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
  Genus: Hydrurga
  Leopard seal, Hydrurga leptonyx LC
  Genus: Leptonychotes
  Weddell seal, Leptonychotes weddellii LC
  Genus: Lobodon
  Crabeater seal, Lobodon carcinophagus LC
  Genus: Mirounga
  Southern elephant seal, Mirounga leonina LC
caption: Meerkat
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