Mammals of North Carolina

ORDER/Family Common Name Species Name Status Distribution ASM Slide Library Mamm. Species #
MARSUPIALIA            
Didelphimorphia opossum Didelphis virginiana abundant statewide 3, 4, 630, 828, 829, 830 40
INSECTIVORA            
Soricidae masked shrew Sorex cinereus common W 1/4 of state    
  southeastern shrew Sorex longirostris uncommon statewide   143
  water shrew Sorex palustris species of concern (state) W tip of state 1287 296
  smoky shrew Sorex fumeus common W 1/4 of state   215
  long-tailed shrew Sorex dispar species of concern (state) W 1/4 of state    
  pygmy shrew Microsorex hoyi species of concern (state) W 1/4 of state   33
  short-tailed shrew Blarina brevicauda common W 1/3, E 1/3 of state    
  Carolina short-tailed shrew Blarina carolinensis common, but Dismal Swamp subspecies threatened (federal and state) E 2/3 of state 20, 644  
  least shrew Cryptotis parva uncommon statewide 957 43
Talpidae hairy-tailed mole Parascalops breweri uncommon W 1/4 of state 646, 852  
  eastern mole Scalopus aquaticus common statewide 647, 648 105
  star-nosed mole Condylura cristata species of concern (state) W 1/4, E 1/4 of state 649, 650 129
CHIROPTERA            
Vespertilionidae little brown bat Myotis lucifugus uncommon N 1/2 of state 224, 225, 814 142
  southeastern bat Myotis austroriparius species of concern (state) S coastal, NC   332
  gray bat Myotis grisescens endangered (federal/state) W 1/4 of state 228 510
  keen's bat Myotis keenii species of concern (state) N 1/2 of state 226, 227 121
  Indiana bat Myotis sodalis endangered (federal/state) W 1/4 of state 391 163
  small-footed bat Myotis leibii species of concern(state) W 1/4 of state   547
  big brown bat Eptesicus fuscus common statewide 39, 223 356
  silver-haired bat Lasionycteris noctivagans uncommon statewide 658 172
  eastern pipistrelle bat Pipistrellus subflavus common statewide 38, 654 228
  red bat Lasiurus borealis common statewide 40, 655, 815 183
  seminole bat Lasiurus seminolus uncommon S 1/2 of state   280
  hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus common statewide 41, 42, 656 185
  evening bat Nycticeius humeralis common statewide except high elevations 232 23
  Rafineque's Big-eared bat Plecotus rafinesqueii species of concern (state) W 1/4, E 1/4 of state 394 69
  Virginia big-eared bat Plecotus townsendii endangered (federal/state) far W mountains only    
Molossidae Brazilian Free-tailed bat Tadarida brasiliensis species of concern (state) S to SC only   331
LAGOMORPHA            
Leporidae eastern cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus abundant statewide 58, 953 136
  New England cottontail Sylvilagus transitionalis uncommon W 1/4 of state   55
  marsh rabbit Sylvilagus palustris common E 1/3 of state   153
  swamp rabbit Sylvilagus aquaticus rare SW tip of state only   151
RODENTIA            
Sciuridae eastern chipmunk Tamias striatus common statewide except coastal plains   168
  gray squirrel Sciurus carolinensis abundant statewide 94, 95 480
  fox squirrel Sciurus niger common W 1/4, S to SC 1/2 of state 96, 880 479
  red squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus common W 1/4 of state 111, 260, 826, 827 586
  southern flying squirrel Glaucomys volans common statewide 1021, 1022 78
  northern flying squirrel Glaucomys sabrinus endangered (federal/state) far W mountains only 1020 229
  woodchuck Marmota monax common statewide except coastal plains and SC 107  
Castoridae beaver Castor canadensis uncommon statewide 247, 248, 408, 409, 410, 1239, 1316, 1317 120
Muridae rice rat Oryzomys palustris common E 1/3 of state 252 176
  eastern harvest mouse Reithrodontomys humulis uncommon statewide 685 565
  deer mouse Peromyscus maniculatus common W 1/4 of state 74, 1175  
  white-footed mouse Peromyscus leucopus abundant statewide except S coastal 73, 251, 1174 247
  old-field mouse Peromyscus polionotus rare SW only    
  cotton mouse Peromyscus gossypinus common E 1/4 of state, SC 677, 678 70
  golden mouse Ochrotomys nuttalli common statewide   75
  hispid cotton rat Sigmodon hispidus common statewide 76, 1177 158
  eastern woodrat Neotoma floridana threatened (state) W 1/4, S coastal 1016 139
  red-backed vole Clethrionomys gapperi uncommon W 1/4 of state 69 146
  meadow vole Microtus pennsylvanicus common statewide except S coastal 70 159
  pine vole Microtus pinetorum uncommon statewide   147
  rock vole Microtus chrotorrhinus species of concern (state) far W mountains only 250 180
  muskrat Ondatra zibethicus common statewide 1162, 1163 141
  southern bog lemming Synaptomys gapperi rare W 1/4 of state, NE corner 682 210
  black rat Rattus rattus uncommon statewide 759, 760  
  Norway rat Rattus norvegicus common statewide 755, 756, 757, 758  
  house mouse Mus musculus abundant statewide 92, 754  
Myocastoridae nutria Myocastor coypus rare NE corner of state, Rockingham Co. 1019 398
Zapodidae meadow jumping mouse Zapus hudsonius rare W 2/3 of state   11
  woodland jumping mouse Napaeozapus insignis common W 1/4 of state   14
CETACEA            
Balaenopteridae minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata rare coastal    
  sei whale Balaenoptera borealis endangered (federal) coastal 577  
  fin whale Balaenoptera physalus endangered (federal) coastal 769  
  humpback whale Megaptera novaengliae endangered (federal) coastal    
  right whale Eubalaena glacialis endangered (federal) coastal    
Delphinidae saddleback dolphin Delphinus delphis rare coastal 579  
  short-finned pilot whale Globicephala macrorhyncha rare coastal    
  Atlantic pilot whale Globicephala melaena uncommon coastal 929, 930  
  grampus (Risso's dolphin) Grampus griseus rare coastal 1055  
  dense-beaked whale Mesoplodon densirostris rare coastal    
  Antillean beaked whale Mesoplodon europaeus rare coastal    
  True's beaked whale Mesoplodon mirus rare coastal    
  killer whale Orcinus orca rare coastal 979, 1057, 1058, 1133 304
  false killer whale Pseudorca crassidens rare coastal 1059, 1134 456
  striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba rare coastal    
  spinner dolphin Stenella longirostris rare coastal    
  Atlantic spotted dolphin Stenella frontalis rare coastal 580  
  rough-toothed dolphin Steno bredanensis rare coastal    
  Atlantic bottlenosed dolphin Tursiops truncatus common coastal 262, 980, 981  
Eschrichtiidae gray whale Eschrictius robustus rare coastal    
Phocoenidae harbor porpoise Phocoena phocoena common coastal   42
Physeteridae sperm whale Physeter catodon endangered (federal) coastal    
  pygmy sperm whale Kogia breviceps rare coastal    
  dwarf sperm whale Kogia simus rare coastal   239
Ziphiidae goosebeaked whale Ziphius cavirostris rare coastal    
CARNIVORA            
Canidae coyote Canis latrans common statewide 265, 1126, 1127, 1267 79
  red fox Vulpes vulpes common statewide 435, 436, 582 537
  gray fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus common statewide 584 189
  gray wolf Canis lupus extirpated extirpated 581, 1038, 1128 37
  red wolf Canis rufus endangered (federal) NE coastal (Dare Co.), Smoky Mts. 264, 968, 1292 22
Ursidae black bear Ursus americanus common W 1/4, E 1/4 of state 142, 1132  
Procyonidae raccoon Procyon lotor abundant statewide 140, 709 119
Mustelidae least weasel Mustela nivalis rare W 1/4 of state 440, 1214, 1350 454
  long-tailed weasel Mustela frenata rare statewide 1348 in press
  mink Mustela vison uncommon statewide 1129  
  striped skunk Mephitis mephitis common statewide 280 173
  spotted skunk Spilogale putorius uncommon W 1/4 of state   511
  river otter Lutra canadensis uncommon statewide   586
Felidae bobcat Lynx rufus uncommon statewide 819, 1293 563
  mountain lion Puma concolor endangered (federal) statewide 275, 276, 586  
Phocidae harbor seal Phoca vitulina uncommon coastal 135, 594, 1131, 1304, 1305  
  hooded seal Cystophora cristata rare coastal   258
SIRENIA            
Trichechidae manatee Trichechus manatus endangered (federal) coastal 290, 291, 292, 1139, 1140, 1141, 1309 93
ARTIODACTYLA            
Cervidae white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus abundant statewide 185, 186, 803, 1279, 1313 388
  elk Cervus elaphus extirpated extirpated 189, 190, 191, 318, 809, 863, 864, 1077, 1278  
Suidae European wild boar Sus scrofa common statewide 323  
Bovidae bison Bison bison extirpated extirpated 167, 304, 305, 306, 719, 720, 1224, 1273 266
PERISSODACTYLA            
Equidae horse Equus caballus common coastal islands 150, 294, 1063  
             
             
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