Mammals of Alabama

Note: The first name listed is the official name according to  Wilson and Reeder (2005).  Synonyms follow.       ORDER / Family  Common Name  Species Name Status Distribution ASM Slide Library* Mamm. Species # Comments DIDELPHIMORPHIA             Didelphidae  Virginia opossum Didelphis virginiana common statewide 3, 4(W), 630, 828(B), 829(B), 830(B) 40 Common in all habitats. SIRENIA               Trichechidae   West Indian Manatee  Trichechus manatus endangered inland waterways around Mobile Bay 290, 291(CB), 292(A), 1139(S), 1140(S), 1141(S), 1309 93 Rare, but there are regular sightings in late spring, summer, and early autumn. CINGULATA               Dasypodidae Nine-banded Armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus common statewide 53, 242 162 Common in woodlands, forest edges, savannas, and brushy areas. PRIMATES               Hominidae Human / Modern Man Homo sapiens common statewide       RODENTIA                 Sciuridae Southern Flying Squirrel Glaucomys volans common statewide 1021, 1022(B) 78 Most common in mature, broad-leaved forests, but also found in coniferous-deciduous woodlands, and urban areas.   Woodchuck Marmota monax uncommon northern two-thirds of Alabama 107 591 Occurs along forest edges and in open fields and pastures near brushy fencerows or other cover.   Eastern Gray Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis common statewide 94, 95(P) 480 Found in hardwood forests, mixed forests, and urban areas.   Eastern Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger common statewide 96, 880 479 Favors mature deciduous and pine-oak woodlands, but also occurs at forest edges and in riparian woodlands.   Eastern Chipmunk Tamias striatus common statewide, except for extreme southwestern and southeastern regions 110, 259(AB) 168 Occupies wooded areas with dense canopy and sparsely covered forest floor, open brushy habitats, ravines, deciduous growth along streams, and urban areas. Castoridae American Beaver Castor canadensis common statewide 247(H), 248(H), 408, 409(H), 410(H), 1239, 1316(H), 1317(B) 120 All habitats with open water. Geomyidae Southeastern Pocket Gopher Geomys pinetis uncommon southern one-half of Alabama 1244 86 Usually occurs in dry sandy soils, but may inhabit well-drained, gravelly, upland sites. Dipodidae Meadow Jumping Mouse Zapus hudsonius rare primarily Piedmont region of northeastern Alabama   11 Occupies variety of habitats with dense vegetation, including overgrown fields and thick vegetation near ponds, marshes, and streams. Cricetidae Prairie Vole Microtus ochrogaster uncommon north-central Alabama 1160 355 Inhabits areas with dense grasses, such as pastures, roadsides, and edges of fields.   Woodland Vole / Pine Vole Microtus pinetorum common statewide, except for southwestern section   147 Wide range of habitats occupied, including leaf litter, grassy fields with brush and brambles, and beneath mats of dense vegetation.   Eastern Woodrat / Allegheny Woodrat Neotoma floridana / Neotoma magister uncommon Eastern Woodrat (N. floridana) statewide south of the Tennessee River; Allegheny Woodrat (N. magister) north of the Tennessee River 1016 (N. floridana) 139 (N. floridana) N. floridana and N. magister have been considered separate species since the late 1990's**.  N. floridana occupies woodland and brushy habitats,  is often associated with rocky outcrops, but also occurs in areas with dense vegetation.  N. magister is possibly confined to areas with rocky outcrops, crevices, caves, and boulder fields, but also may occupy woodlands and brushy areas.    Golden Mouse Ochrotomys nuttalli common statewide   75 Occupies a variety of habitats, including woodlands, floodplains, borders of fields, and thickets bordering swamps and dense woods.   Common Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus common statewide, except counties bordering Florida Panhandle 1162, 1163(H) 141 Habitats include saline, brackish, and freshwater streams, marshes, ponds, lakes, ditches, and rivers.   Marsh Oryzomys / Marsh Rice Rat Oryzomys palustris common statewide 252 176 Found in wet meadows and dense vegetation near marshes, swamps, streams, ponds, and ditches.   Cotton Deermouse / Cotton Mouse Peromyscus gossypinus common statewide 677, 678(C) 70 Occurs in dense underbrush, bottomland hardwood forests, and a variety of other habitats, including old fields, upland forests, hammocks, and swamps.   White-footed Deermouse / White-footed Mouse Peromyscus leucopus poorly known northern two-thirds of Alabama 73, 251(A), 1174 247 Inhabits woodlands with fallen logs, brush piles, and rocks, and shrubs along fencerows and streams.   Oldfield Deermouse / Oldfield Mouse Peromyscus polionotus common statewide     Primarily in sandy soiled habitats, including fallow fields with herbaceous vegetation, and along roadsides in agricultural areas.  Two subspecies, P. polionotus amobates and P. polionotus trissylepsis, which occur in beach habitat along the Gulf Coast, are endangered.   Eastern Harvest Mouse Reithrodontomys humulis uncommon statewide 685 565 Once common in old fields containing dense stands of weeds and grasses, but may be declining in Alabama.   Hispid Cotton Rat Sigmodon hispidus common statewide 76, 1177 158 Found in grassy areas of fields and along roadways. Muridae House Mouse Mus musculus introduced statewide 92, 754   Often found in habitats associated with native rodents fairly distant from human habitation.   Brown Rat / Norway Rat Rattus norvegicus introduced, common statewide 755(W), 756(G), 757(B), 758   Primarily occurs in urban areas, but may be common near livestock and poultry facilities.   Roof Rat / Black Rat Rattus rattus introduced, uncommon statewide 759, 760(B)   Primarily occurs in urban areas. Myocastoridae Coypu / Nutria Myocastor coypus introduced, uncommon extreme southern Alabama 1019 398 Occupies fresh and brackish wetlands. LAGORMORPHA               Leporidae Swamp Rabbit Sylvilagus aquaticus uncommon statewide, except southern tier of counties along Florida Panhandle   151 Found in floodplain forests, wooded bottomlands, briar and honeysuckle patches, and canebrakes.   Eastern Cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus common statewide 58, 953(Y) 136 Mostly in deciduous forests and forest edges, but also in grasslands, along fencerows, and in urban areas.   Appalachian Cottontail Sylvilagus obscurus rare northern one-third of Alabama     Inhabits dense woodlands and mountainous areas.   Marsh Rabbit Sylvilagus palustris poorly known only occurs in southernmost counties   153 Primarily occurs in and around marshes and swamps.