List of mammals of Heard Island and McDonald Islands

This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Heard Island and McDonald Islands. There are approximately 29 mammal species in Heard Island and McDonald Islands.^[1][2]

The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:^[3]

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.

Infraorder: Cetacea (whales)

Orca

The infraorder 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 under water.

• Parvorder: Odontoceti
  • Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
    • Genus: Globicephala
      • Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas^[2] LC
    • Genus: Grampus
      • Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus^[2]
    • Genus: Lagenorhynchus
      • Hourglass dolphin, Lagenorhynchus cruciger^[2]
      • Dusky dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obscurus^[2]
    • Genus: Lissodelphis
      • Southern right whale dolphin, Lissodelphis peronii^[2]
    • Genus: Orcinus
      • Orca, Orcinus orca^[2] DD
    • Genus: Tursiops
      • Bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus^[2]
  • Family: Phocoenidae
    • Genus: Phocoena
      • Spectacled porpoise, Phocoena dioptrica^[2] LC
  • Family: Physeteridae
    • Genus: Physeter
      • Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus^[2]
  • Family: Ziphiidae
    • Genus: Berardius
      • Arnoux's beaked whale, Berardius arnuxii^[2] LC
    • Genus: Hyperoodon
      • Southern bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon planifrons^[2]
    • Genus: Mesoplodon
      • Gray's beaked whale, Mesoplodon grayi LC
      • Hector's beaked whale, Mesoplodon hectori^[2]
      • Layard's beaked whale or strap-toothed whale, Mesoplodon layardii^[2] LC
    • Genus: Ziphius
      • Cuvier's beaked whale or goose-beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris^[2]
• Parvorder: Mysticeti
  • Family: Balaenopteridae
    • Genus: Balaenoptera
      • Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata^[2]
      • Antarctic minke whale, Balaenoptera bonarensis^[2]
      • Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis. Listed as vulnerable under the EPBC Act.^[2]
      • Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus. Listed as endangered under the EPBC Act.^[2]
      • Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus. VU. Listed as vulnerable under the EPBC Act.^[2]
    • Genus: Megaptera
      • Humpback whale, Megaptera noveangliae. LC. Listed as vulnerable under the EPBC Act.^[2]
  • Family: Balaenidae
    • Genus: Eubalaena
      • Southern right whale, Eubalaena australis. Listed as endangered under the EPBC Act.^[2]

Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)

Weddell seal

Crabeater seal

There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.

• Suborder: Caniformia
  • Family: Otariidae (eared seals, sealions)
    • Genus: Arctocephalus
      • Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella^[2] LC
      • Subantarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus tropicalis^[2] LC. Listed as endangered under the EPBC Act.^[4]
  • Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
    • Genus: Hydrurga
      • Leopard seal, Hydrurga leptonyx^[2] LC
    • Genus: Leptonychotes
      • Weddell seal, Leptonychotes weddellii^[2] LC
    • Genus: Lobodon
      • Crabeater seal, Lobodon carcinophagus^[2] LC
    • Genus: Mirounga
      • Southern elephant seal, Mirounga leonina LC. Listed as vulnerable under the EPBC Act.^[2]
    • Genus: Ommatophoca
      • Ross seal, Ommatophoca rossii^[2] LC

See also

• Antarctic realm
• Fauna of Heard Island and McDonald Islands
• List of chordate orders
• Lists of mammals by region
• List of prehistoric mammals
• Mammal classification
• List of mammals described in the 2000s