List of mammals of Great Britain

This is a list of mammals of Great Britain.
The Great Britain mammal fauna is impoverished compared with that of continental Europe. This is because there was only a short time between the last ice age and the flooding of the land bridge between Britain and the rest of Europe. The list only has land species which crossed before the creation of the English Channel, and those later brought in by humans.
Native (indigenous) species have three possible definitions:
a species which colonised the islands during the glacial retreat at the end of the last ice age (c.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.
Rodentia
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 continuously and must be kept short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the coypu (once introduced to Great Britain, but subsequently eradicated) can weigh up to 9 kg (15.5 lb).
Family: Castoridae (beavers)
Eurasian beaver Castor fiber - Reintroduced
Family: Cricetidae (voles)
Bank vole Myodes glareolus
Skomer vole M. g. skomerensis
Field vole Microtus agrestis
Common vole M. arvalis
Orkney vole or Cuttick M. a. orcadensis
Water vole Arvicola terrestris
Family: Muridae (rats, mice and relatives)
Harvest mouse Micromys minutus
Wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus
St Kilda field mouse A. s. hirtensis
Yellow-necked mouse A. flavicollis
House mouse Mus musculus
St Kilda house mouse M. m. muralis
Family: Gliridae (dormice)
Hazel dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius
Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
Red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris
Lagomorpha
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 (hares and rabbits)
Mountain hare Lepus timidus
Scottish mountain hare L. t. scoticus
Hedgehogs
Superorder: Laurasiatheria
Order: Erinaceomorpha
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.
European hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus
Shrews and moles
Superorder: Laurasiatheria
Order: Soricomorpha
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and soledons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
European mole Talpa europaea
Common shrew Sorex araneus
Pygmy shrew S. minutus
Water shrew Neomys fodiens
Bats
Superorder: Laurasiatheria
Order: Chiroptera
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.
Greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum
Lesser horseshoe bat R. hipposideros
Greater mouse-eared bat Myotis myotis - Vagrant
Whiskered bat M. mystacinus
Brandt's bat M. brandti
Natterer's bat M. nattereri
Bechstein's bat M. bechsteini
Daubenton's bat M. daubentoni
Geoffroy's bat M. emarginatus
Alcathoe bat M. alcathoe
Parti-coloured bat Vespertilio murinus - Vagrant
Serotine Eptesicus serotinus
Northern bat E. nilssoni - Vagrant
Common noctule Nyctalus noctula
Leisler's bat or lesser noctule N. leisleri
Hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus - Vagrant
Common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus
Soprano pipistrelle P. pygmaeus
Nathusius pipistrelle P. nathusii
Kuhl's pipistrelle P. kuhlii
Barbastelle Barbastella barbastellus
Brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritus
Grey long-eared bat P. austriacus
Even-toed ungulates
Superorder: Laurasiatheria
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.
Wild boar Sus scrofa - Reintroduced
Feral goat Capra aegagrus hircus - Bilberry goat
Sheep Ovis orientalis aries - Soay sheep
Cattle Bos primigenius taurus - Chillingham wild cattle
Scottish red deer Cervus elaphus scoticus
Roe deer Capreolus capreolus
Odd-toed ungulates
Superorder: Laurasiatheria
Order: Perissodactyla
The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and grazing mammals. They are usually large to very large, and have relatively simple stomachs and a large middle toe.
Feral horse Equus ferus caballus - Exmoor pony, Dartmoor pony
Carnivora
Superorder: Laurasiatheria
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.
Domesticated dog Canis lupus familiaris
Red fox Vulpes vulpes
Grey seal Halichoerus grypus
Common seal Phoca vitulina
Ringed seal P. hispida - Vagrant
Bearded seal Erignathus barbatus - Vagrant
Hooded seal Cystophora cristatus - Vagrant
Harp seal Pagophilus groenlandicus - Vagrant
Walrus Odobenus rosmarus - Vagrant
Pine marten Martes martes
Stoat (Ermine) Mustela erminea
Least weasel M. nivalis
European polecat M. putorius
European otter Lutra lutra
European badger Meles meles
European wildcat Felis silvestris silvestris
Domesticated cat Felis silvestris catus
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
Genus: Eubalaena
North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis EN
Family: Balaenopteridae
Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
Genus: Balaenoptera
Fin whale Balaenoptera physalis
Minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata LR/NT
Sei whale Balaenoptera borealis
Blue whale Balaenoptera musculus
Genus: Megaptera
Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae
Suborder: Odontoceti
Superfamily: Platanistoidea
Family: Monodontidae
Genus: Delphinapterus
Beluga Delphinapterus leucas VU
Family: Phocoenidae
Genus: Phocoena
Harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena VU
Family: Physeteridae
Genus: Physeter
Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus VU
Family: Kogiidae
Genus: Kogia
Pygmy sperm whale Kogia breviceps LR/LC
Family: Ziphidae
Genus: Ziphius
Cuvier's beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris DD
Subfamily: Hyperoodontidae
Genus: Hyperoodon
Northern bottlenose whale Hyperoodon ampullatus LR/CD
Genus: Mesoplodon
Sowerby's beaked whale Mesoplodon bidens DD
Gervais' beaked whale Mesoplodon europaeus DD
True's beaked whale Mesoplodon mirus DD
Genus: Pseudorca
False killer whale Pseudorca crassidens
Dolphins
Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
Genus: Delphis
Short-beaked common dolphin Delphinus delphis
Genus: Tursiops
Common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus DD
Genus: Stenella
Striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba LR/cd
Genus: Lagenorhynchus
Atlantic white-sided dolphin Lagenorhynchus acutus LR/LC
White-beaked dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris LR/LC
Genus: Grampus
Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus DD
Introduced animals
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 feral population is currently breeding on the island of Inchconnachan, and at Loch Lomond in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. A smaller group is present on the Isle of Man, and the species is locally extinct in the Peak District, in Cumbria, and at Ashdown Forest in East Sussex.
Family: Macropodidae (kangaroos, wallabies, and kin)
Red-necked wallaby Macropus rufogriseus - Introduced
Rodentia
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 continuously and must be kept short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the coypu (once introduced to Great Britain, but subsequently eradicated) can weigh up to 9 kg (15.5 lb).
Family: Muridae (rats, mice and relatives)
Black rat Rattus rattus - Introduced
Brown rat R. norvegicus - Introduced
Family: Gliridae (dormice)
Edible dormouse Glis glis - Introduced
Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
Grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis - Introduced
Lagomorpha
The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). Though they resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early 20th century, they have since been put in 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 (hares and rabbits)
Mountain hare Lepus timidus
Irish hare L. t. hibernicus - Introduced Isle of Mull
European hare L. europaeus - Possibly introduced
European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus - Introduced
Shrews and moles
Superorder: Laurasiatheria
Order: Soricomorpha
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and soledons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
Greater white-toothed shrew Crocidura russula - Likely introduced, Channel Islands only
Lesser white-toothed shrew C. suaveolens - Likely introduced, Isles of Scilly and Channel Islands only
Even-toed ungulates
Superorder: Laurasiatheria
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.
Sika deer C. nippon - Introduced
Fallow deer Dama dama - Introduced
Reeves's muntjac Muntiacus reevesi - Introduced
Water deer Hydropotes inermis - Introduced
Carnivora
Superorder: Laurasiatheria
Order: Carnivora
American mink M. vison - Introduced
References
Other websites
A Review of British Mammals, 1995 (PDF format)
The Mammal Society: Mammals of the British Isles
Discuss UK wildlife
Lists of mammals