Mammals of Georgia

Georgia Mammals* Compiled by E. Blake Hart, Bechtel Savannah River, Inc., Bldg 730-2B, Aiken, Sc 29808

ORDER/Family Common Name Species Name Status Distribution Slide Library # Mammalian Species # Comments
DIDELPHIMORPHIA Marsupials            
Didelphidae Virginia Opossum Didelphis marsupialis Common Statewide 630 40 Sole Ga.marsupial with long prehensile tail. Sought for food by some residents.
INSECTIVORA Shrews and Moles            
Soricidae Smoky Shrew Sorex fumeus Uncommon Only in N. GA mtns   215  
  Southeastern Shrew Sorex longirostris Rare Statewide   143  
  Short-tailed Shrew Blarina carolinensis Common Statewide     One of most common small mammals in GA
  Least Shrew Cryptotis parva Uncommon Statewide 957 43 Also called "old-field shrew"
Talpidae Eastern Mole Scalopus aquaticus Common Statewide 647 105  
  Star-nosed Mole Condylura cristata Rare S GA swamps 649 129 Has fleshy "star" on end of nose
CHIROPTERA Bats            
Vespertilionidae Little Brown Myotis Myotis lucifugus Common Statewide 814 142 High metabolic rate
  Southeastern Myotis Myotis austroriparius Rare SW Georgia   332  
  Gray Myotis Myotis grisecens Possible W. Border 228 510  
  Keen's Myotis Myotis keenii Uncommon Mountains 227 121 Less colonial than other Myotis
  Indiana Myotis Myotis sodalis Rare NW Corner 391 163  
  Silver-haired Bat Lasionycteris noctivigans Rare Piedmont 658 172  
  Eastern Pipistrelle Pipestrellus subflavus Uncommon Statewide 654 228 Weak & erratic flyer
  Big Brown Bat Eptesicus fuscus Uncommon Statewide 39 356  
  Red Bat Lasiurus borealis Common Statewide 655 183  
  Seminole Bat Lasiurus seminolus Common Statewide   280  
  Hoary Bat Lasiurus cinereus Common Statewide 656 185 Large, wingspan to 13"
  Florida Yellow Bat Dasypterus floridanus Common Statewide      
  Evening Bat Nycticeius humeralis Common Statewide 232 23 Poorly known in GA
  Big-eared Bat Corynorhinus macrotus Common Statewide      
Molossidae Brazilian Free-tailed Bat Tadarida brasiliensis Common Coastal Plain   331  
XENARTHA Armadillos            
Dasypodidae Nine-banded Armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus Common Statewide 242 162 Covered by bony plates
LAGOMORPHA Rabbits            
Leporidae Cottontail Rabbit Sylvilagus floridanus Common Statewide 58 136  
  Wood Rabbit Sylvilagus transitonalis Rare Northern mtns.   55  
  Swamp Rabbit Sylvilagus aquaticus Common Piedmont & Ridge Valley Provinces   151 Large rabbit with large, mule-like ears; also called, "cane cutter." Habitat near water
  Marsh Rabbit Sylvilagus palustris Common So. Georgia's coastal plain   153  
RODENTIA Rodents            
Sciuridae Woodchuck Marmota monax Rare NE Georgia counties 107 591  
  Eastern Chipmunk Tamias striatus Common Piedmont, mountain, & w. upper coastal plain 110 168  
  Gray Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Common Statewide 94 480 Common in cities, frequent road-kills
  Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger Common Statewide 96 479 Larger squirrel w/ variable coloration; 3 sub-species
  Chickaree Tamiasciurus hudsonicus Extremely Rare Northern mtns. 111 586  
  Southern Flying Squirrel Glaucomys volans Common Statewide 1021 78 Glides; more carnivorous than tree squirrels; nocturnal
Geomyidae Southeastern Pocket Gopher Geomys pinetis Common Coastal plain 1244 86 Most common pocket gopher in GA
  Colonial Pocket Gopher Geomys colonus Rare SE Georgia     All gophers live in subettanean habitat
  Sherman's Pocket Gopher Geomys fontanelus Rare SE Georgia     Only one colony know to exist
  Cumberland Island Pocket Gopher Geomys cumberlandius Common Cumberland Island      
Castoridae Beaver Castor canadensis Common Statewide 247 120  
Cricetidae Rice Rat Oryzomys palustris Common Statewide 252 176  
  Harvest Moused Reithrodontomys humulis Common Statewide   565 Readily climbs
  Deer Mouse Peromyscus maniculatus Uncommon Summits of N. mtns 74   Nocturnal
  Old-field Mouse Peromyscus polionotus Common Statewide, except mtn summits     Digs and lives in burrows
  Wood Mouse Peromyscus leucopus Common Piedmont & mountain regions 73 247 Nocturnal
  Cotton Mouse Peromyscus gossypinus Common Coastal Plain, eastern Piedmont & W. ridge/valleys 677 70  
  Golden Mouse Peromyscus nuttali Common Statewide   161 Restricted to woodland habitat
  Cotton Rat Sigmodon hispidis Common Statewide 76 158 Prob most abundant mammal in GA; destroys eggs & garden crops
  Eastern Woodrat Neotoma floridana Common Coastal plains & mtns; none in Piedmont 1016 139 Lives in large houses of sticks and trash on surface of ground
  Meadow Vole Microtus pennsylvanicus Uncommon Piedmont and nearby 70 159 Prefers wet meadows
  Pine Mouse Pitimys pinetorum Common Statewide     Fossorial rodent
  Florida Pine Mouse Pitimys parvulus Rare SW Georgia counties     Little known
  Round-tailed Muskrat Neofiber alleni Uncommon SE Georgia & Okefenokee Swamp   15  
  Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus Common Statewide except coastal counties 1162 141  
Muridae Norway Rat Rattus norvegicus Common Statewide 755   Serious pest; carries fleas & lice carrying disease agents
  Roof Rat Rattus rattus Common Lower coastal plain 759   Mainly inhabits buildings
  House Mouse Mus musculus Common Statewide 92   Pests
Zapodidae Meadow Jumping Mouse Zapus hudsonius Rare Clarke, Oconee, Meriweather, & Hall counties 1110 11 Prefers moist meadows; hibernates in N. states, unknown if hibernates in GA
  Woodland Jumping Mouse Napaeozapus insignis Uncommon Mountain regins of GA 113 14 Probably hibernate
CETACEA Marine Whales            
Ziphiidae Goose-beaked Whale Ziphius cavirostris Rare St. Simons Island      
  Pygmy Sperm Whale Kogia breviceps Rare Sapelo & Sea Islands 1137    
Delphinidae Spotted Porpoise Stenella plagiodon Uncommon Georgia coast     Common in Florida
  Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis Common Georgia coast 579    
  Atlantic Bottle-nosed Dolphin Tursiops truncatus Common Georgia coast 262   Inhabits shallow coastal waters
  False Killer Whale Pseudorca crassidans Rare Tybee Island 1059 553 Single speciman found
  Pilot Whale Globicephala macrorhyncha Common Georgia coast 930    
CARNIVORA Flesh Eaters            
Canidae Coyote Canis latrans Common Statewide 265 79 Few records, but probably throughout state; shy; omnivorous
  Red Fox Vulpes vulpes Common Statewide 435 537  
  Gray Fox Urocyon cineroargenteus Common Statewide 584 189 Best known carnivore in GA
Ursidae Black Bear Ursus americanus Uncommon Statewide 142   Mostly known from northern and southern Georgia
Procyonidae Raccoon Procyon lotor Common Statewide 140 119 Nocturnal; common roadkill;
Mustelidae Long-tailed Weasel Mustela frenata Common Statewide 1348 570 Carnivore
  Mink Mustela vison Common Statewide 1129   Semi-aquatic
  Eastern Spotted Skunk Spilogale putorious Common Statewide, except E coastal plain   511  
  Striped Skunk Mephitis mephitis Common Statewide 280 173 Nocturnal
  River Otter Lutra canadensis Common Statewide     Aquatic mammal; can travel long distances under water
Felidae Cougar Felis concolor Uncommon N, E, & S Georgia   200 Secretive; nocturnal; travels long distances seeking food
  Bobcat Lynx rufus Common Statewide 819 563 Secretive, rarely seen
SIRENIA Manatees, Sea Cows            
Trichechidae Manatee Trichechus manatus Rare Savanna harbor, Jekyll Creek, Little Satilla River & Cumberland Island 1309 93  
ARTIODACTYLA Even-toed Ungulates            
Suidae Feral Swine Sus scrofa Common Lower coastal plains and mountains of north 323    
Cervidae White-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus Common Statewide 803 388 Only big game in state, sought each year by sportsmen
*From Golley Frank B. 1962. Mammals of Georgia. University of Georgia Press, Athens. 218 p.

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