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List of mammals of Ireland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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There are 27 mammal species native to Ireland or naturalised in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland before 1500. The Red List of Irish terrestrial mammals was updated in 2019, with assessments of these 27 species. One species is locally extinct, one is vulnerable and 25 are least concern species. Not assessed were nine mammal species that were introduced after 1500.[1]
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed on the IUCN Red List:
| 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. |
NE indicates not endemic
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Order: Diprotodontia (kangaroos, wallabies, wombats and allies)
Though most marsupials make up a great part of the fauna in the Australian region, the red-necked wallaby has been introduced to Ireland: a population is currently breeding on Lambay island.[2]
- Family: Macropodidae (kangaroos, wallabies, and kin)
- Genus: Notamacropus
- Red-necked wallaby, N. rufogriseus EN NE introduced
- Genus: Notamacropus
Order: Rodentia (rodents)
Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing.
- Suborder: Sciurognathi
- Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
- Subfamily: Sciurinae
- Genus: Sciurus
- Eastern grey squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis NE introduced
- Red squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris LC[1][3]
- Genus: Sciurus
- Subfamily: Sciurinae
- Family: Cricetidae
- Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- Genus: Clethrionomys
- Bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus NE introduced
- Genus: Clethrionomys
- Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- Family: Cricetidae
- Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- Genus: Microtus
- field vole, Microtus agrestis NE introduced[4]
- Genus: Microtus
- Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- Family: Muridae (mice, rats, etc.)
- Family: Gliridae
- Subfamily: Leithiinae
- Genus: Muscardinus
- Hazel dormouse, M. avellanarius LC introduced[6]
- Genus: Muscardinus
- Subfamily: Leithiinae
- Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
- Suborder: Hystricomorpha
- Family: Echimyidae (neotropical spiny rats)
- Subfamily: Echimyinae
- Family: Echimyidae (neotropical spiny rats)
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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: Lepus
- European hare, Lepus europaeus NE introduced[9]
- Mountain hare, Lepus timidus LC[10]
- Genus: Oryctolagus
- European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus NT naturalised[11]
- Genus: Lepus
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[12]
- Genus: Erinaceus
- Subfamily: Erinaceinae
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: Crocidura
- Greater white-toothed shrew, Crocidura russula NE introduced[13]
- Genus: Sorex
- Eurasian pygmy shrew, Sorex minutus LC
- Genus: Crocidura
- Subfamily: Soricinae
Order: Chiroptera (bats)
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The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals 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
- Natterer's bat, Myotis nattereri LC
- Genus: Myotis
- Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
- Genus: Nyctalus
- Lesser noctule, Nyctalus leisleri LC[14]
- Genus: Pipistrellus
- Nathusius' pipistrelle, Pipistrellus nathusii LC[15]
- Common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus LC
- Soprano pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pygmaeus LC
- Genus: Plecotus
- Brown long-eared bat, Plecotus auritus LC
- Genus: Nyctalus
- Subfamily: Myotinae
- Family: Rhinolophidae
- Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
- Genus: Rhinolophus
- Lesser horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus hipposideros LC[16]
- Genus: Rhinolophus
- Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
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Order: Cetacea (whales)
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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: Balaena
- Bowhead whale, B. mysticetus EN vagrant[17]
- Genus: Eubalaena
- North Atlantic right whale, E. glacialis CR presence uncertain[18] confirmed 2024[19]
- Genus: Balaena
- Family: Balaenopteridae (rorqual)
- Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
- Genus: Balaenoptera
- Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata LC
- Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis EN
- Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus VU
- Blue whale, B. musculus EN[20]
- Genus: Balaenoptera
- Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
- Family: Megapterinae
- Genus: Megaptera
- Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae LC
- Genus: Megaptera
- Family: Balaenidae
- Suborder: Odontoceti
- Family: Phocoenidae (porpoises)
- Genus: Phocoena
- Harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena LC
- Genus: Phocoena
- Family: Ziphidae (beaked whales)
- Genus: Ziphius
- Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris DD
- Genus: Ziphius
- Subfamily: Hyperoodontinae
- Genus: Hyperoodon
- Northern bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus NT
- Genus: Mesoplodon
- Sowerby's beaked whale, Mesoplodon bidens DD
- Gervais' beaked whale, Mesoplodon europaeus DD
- True's beaked whale, Mesoplodon mirus DD
- Genus: Hyperoodon
- Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
- Genus: Lagenorhynchus
- White-beaked dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris LC
- Genus: Leucopleurus
- Atlantic white-sided dolphin, Leucopleurus acutus LC
- Genus: Delphinus
- Common dolphin, Delphinus delphis LC
- Genus: Tursiops
- Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus LC
- Genus: Stenella
- Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba LC
- Genus: Grampus
- Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus LC
- Genus: Globicephala
- Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas LC
- Genus: Pseudorca
- False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens DD
- Genus: Lagenorhynchus
- Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales)
- Genus: Physeter
- Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus VU
- Genus: Physeter
- Family: Kogiidae
- Genus: Kogia
- Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps DD
- Genus: Kogia
- Family: Phocoenidae (porpoises)
- Superfamily: Platanistoidea
- Family: Monodontidae (narwhals)
- Genus: Delphinapterus
- Beluga, Delphinapterus leucas LC vagrant
- Genus: Orcinus
- Genus: Delphinapterus
- Family: Monodontidae (narwhals)
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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)
- Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
- Genus: Lutra
- European otter, Lutra lutra NT[23]
- Genus: Martes
- European pine marten, Martes martes LC[24]
- Genus: Meles
- European badger, Meles meles LC[25]
- Genus: Mustela
- Genus: Neogale
- American mink, Neogale vison NE introduced[28]
- Genus: Lutra
- Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
- Genus: Halichoerus
- Grey seal, Halichoerus grypus LC
- Genus: Phoca
- Common seal, Phoca vitulina LC
- Genus: Cystophora
- Hooded seal, C. cristatus VU vagrant
- Genus: Erignathus
- Bearded seal, E. barbatus LC vagrant
- Genus: Pagophilus
- Harp seal, P. groenlandicus LC vagrant
- Genus: Pusa
- Ringed seal, P. hispida LC vagrant
- Genus: Halichoerus
- Family: Odobenidae (walruses)
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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: Cervidae (deer)
- Subfamily: Cervinae
- Subfamily: Capreolinae
Locally extinct
The following species are locally extinct in the country:
- Wolf, Canis lupus,[1][33] see Wolves in Ireland
- Eurasian lynx, Lynx lynx[34]
- Reindeer, Rangifer tarandus
- Wild boar, Sus scrofa[35]
- Brown bear, Ursus arctos,[36] see Bears in Ireland
Globally extinct
- Irish elk, Megaloceros giganteus
- Woolly mammoth, Mammuthus primigenius
- Cave hyena, Crocuta (Crocuta) spelaea
See also
References
External links
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