Mammals of Minnesota

ORDER/Family Common Name Species Status Distribution ASM Slide # Mammalian Species Account Comments DIDELPHIMORPHIA               Didelphidae Virginia Opossum Didelphis virginiana Common Southern 3/4 of the state 003, 004(W), 630, 828(B), 829(B,C), 830(C) 40 The only North American marsupial LAGOMORPHA               Leporidae Eastern Cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus Common Through most of the state, except the extreme north 058, 953(Y) 136     Snowshoe Hare Lepus americanus Common Northeastern 1/2 of the state 246, 544(P)   Changes color seasonally   White-tailed Jackrabbit Lepus townsendii Common Absent from the northeast 1/4 of the state 1189, 1349 288 Changes color seasonally SORICOMORPHA               Soricidae Northern Short-tailed Shrew Blarina brevicauda Common Statewide 020, 644(S) 261 Venomous   Least Shrew Cryptotis parva Species of special concern Extreme southeastern corner of the state 957 43     Arctic Shrew Sorex arcticus Common Northeastern 2/3 of the state 1391 524     Masked Shrew Sorex cinereus Common Statewide 1392 743     Hayden's Shrew Sorex haydeni Not well documented for Minnesota Western and southern  edge of the state     It is very difficult to differentiate this species from Sorex cinereus   Water Shrew Sorex palustris Common North-northeast 2/3 of the state 1287 33 Good swimmer; good indicator of water quality   Pygmy Shrew Sorex hoyi Uncommon Statewide   296   Talpidae Star-nosed Mole Condylura cristata Common Northern 1/2 of the state except it is absent in the western edge of the state 649(A,C), 650 129 Good swimmer and digger   Eastern Mole Scalopus aquaticus Common Southern 1/2 of the state, except it is absent in the west, north of Pipestone county 647(A,C), 648(S) 105 Good digger CHIROPTERA               Vespertilionidae Big Brown Bat Eptesicus fuscus Common Statewide 020(C), 223 356     Red Bat Lasiurus borealis Common Statewide 040, 655, 815 183     Hoary Bat Lasiurus cinereus Common Statewide 656, 041, 042 185     Eastern Pipistrelle Perimyotis subflavus Species of special concern Southwestern 1/4 of the state 038, 654(C) 228     Silver-haired Bat Lasionycteris noctivagans Common Statewide 658 172     Little Brown Bat Myotis lucifugus Common Statewide 224, 225(G), 814 142     Northern Myotis Myotis septentrionalis Species of special concern Statewide   634   CARNIVORA               Felidae Lynx, Canada Lynx Lynx canadensis Rare Northeastern 1/4 of the state 587       Bobcat Lynx rufus Common Statewide 819, 1293 563     Mountain Lion Puma concolor Accidental Reports are scattered across the state 275, 276, 586 200   Canidae Coyote Canis latrans Common Statewide 265(C), 1126, 1127, 1267 79     Wolf, Timber Wolf, Grey Wolf Canis lupus Species of special concern Northeastern 1/3 of the state 581, 1038, 1128 37     Grey Fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus Common Statewide 584 189 Only member of the dog family that can climb trees   Red Fox Vulpes vulpes Common Statewide 435(W), 436(Y), 582 537   Ursidae Black Bear Ursus americanus Common Northeastern 1/4 of the state 142, 1132(S) 647   Mustelidae River Otter Lontra canadensis Common Statewide, except the prairie in the west and southwest, especially near rivers 802(C), 859(G) 587     Wolverine <