Mammals of Wisconsin

ORDER / Family Common Name Species Status Distribution ASM Slide Library # * Mamm. Species # Comments
DIDELPHIMORPHIA            
Didelphidae Virginia Opossum Didelphis virginiana common south 2/3 3, 4(W), 630, 828(B), 829(B), 830(B) 40  
PRIMATES              
Hominidae Human Homo sapiens common statewide      
LAGOMORPHA              
Leporidae Snowshoe Hare Lepus americanus common north 1/2 246, 544(P)   white in winter
  White-tailed Jack Rabbit Lepus townsendii extirpated   1189, 1349 288 white in winter
  Eastern Cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus common all but northern 1/3 58, 953(Y) 136  
SORICOMORPHA              
Soricidae Northern Short-tailed Shrew Blarina brevicauda common statewide 20, 644(S) 261 venomous
  Least Shrew Cryptotis parva uncommon south central 957 43 likely extirpated
  Arctic Shrew Sorex arcticus uncommon north 1/3; south central 1391 524  
  Cinereus Shrew / Masked Shrew Sorex cinereus common all but extreme SW 1392 743  
  Smokey Shrew Sorex fumeus       215 location records probably in error
  Pygmy Shrew Sorex hoyi uncommon statewide   33 [as Microsorex hoyi]  
  Water Shrew Sorex palustris rare north 1/2 1287 296  
Talpidae Star-nosed Mole Condylura cristata uncommon north 1/2; SE 649(C), 650(B) 129 near water
  Eastern Mole Scalopus aquaticus locally abundant SW 1/2; W Mississippi Valley  647(C), 648(S) 105 fossorial
CHIROPTERA              
Vespertilionidae Big Brown Bat Eptesicus fuscus common statewide 39(C), 223 356  
  Silver-haired Bat Lasionycteris noctivagans uncommon statewide 658 172 migrant
  Red Bat Lasiurus borealis uncommon statewide 40, 655(C), 815 183  
  Hoary Bat Lasiurus cinereus rare statewide 41, 42, 656 185  
  Keen's Myotis Myotis keenii uncommon all but SE corner 226, 227 121  
  Little Brown Bat Myotis lucifugus common statewide 224, 225(G), 814(G) 142  
  Indiana Bat Myotis sodalis accidental extreme SW 391(P) 163 endangered
  Eastern Pipistrelle Pipistrellus subflavus uncommon SW; extreme north-central; south-central 38, 654(C) 228  
CARNIVORA              
Felidae Canadian Lynx Lynx canadensis rare; cyclic statewide except central counties 587 269 [as Felis lynx]  
  Bobcat Lynx rufus uncommon north 1/2 819, 1293 563  
  Puma / Cougar / Mountain Lion Puma concolor extirpated   275, 276, 586(C) 200 [as Felis concolor] a few introductions
Canidae Coyote Canis latrans uncommon statewide 265(C), 1126, 1127, 1267 79  
  Wolf Canis lupus rare statewide except SW and SE 581, 1038(P), 1128 37  
  Gray Fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus common south 2/3 584 189 increasing NE, decreasing SE and central
  Red Fox Vulpes vulpes common statewide 435(W), 436(Y), 582 537  
Ursidae Black Bear Ursus americanus uncommon north 1/2 142(C), 1132(S) 647  
Mustelidae Wolverine Gulo gulo extirpated   442(C), 807(S), 1295(S), 1296(S), 1297(S) 499  
  North American River Otter Lontra canadensis uncommon statewide except in SE 802, 859(G), 587 semi-aquatic
  American Marten / Pine Marten Martes americana rare     289 re-introduced
  Beech Marten / Stone Marten Martes foina uncommon SE only     accidental introduction
  Fisher Martes pennanti rare north 2/3 590(C) 156 re-introduced
  Ermine Mustela erminea uncommon north 2/3 588(P), 1051 195 white in winter
  Long-tailed Weasel Mustela frenata uncommon statewide 1348 570 white in winter
  Least Weasel Mustela nivalis rare south 2/3 440(Y), 1214, 1350 454 white in winter
  American Mink Neovison vison common statewide 1129 608 was Mustela
  American Badger Taxidea taxus uncommon statewide; rare in NE, SE 701(C), 702(A), 703(H) 26  
Mephitidae Striped Skunk Mephitis mephitis common statewide 280 173  
  Eastern Spotted Skunk Spilogale putorius extirpated     511  
Procyonidae Raccoon Procyon lotor common statewide 140, 709(S) 119  
ARTIODACTYLA              
Cervidae Moose Alces americanus re-introduced; uncommon north 1/2 192(M), 618(CM) 154  
  Red Deer/Elk Cervus elaphus extirpated   189(M), 190(G), 191(F), 318(Y), 809(FM), 863(M), 864(F), 1077(FG), 1278(MB)    
  White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus common statewide 185(F), 186(A), 803(M), 1279(M), 1313 388  
  Reindeer/Caribou Rangifer tarandus extirpated   193(GM), 477(G), 1280(M), 1314    
Bovidae American Bison / Buffalo Bison bison extirpated   167(M), 304(CM), 305(Y), 306(H), 719(W), 720, 1224, 1273, 1311(B) 266 domesticated statewide
RODENTIA              
Sciuridae Northern Flying Squirrel Glaucomys sabrinus rare north 1/2 1020 229 hibernates
  Southern Flying Squirrel Glaucomys volans uncommon SE corner; midwest 111, 260, 826, 827(H) 78 hibernates
  Woodchuck Marmota monax uncommon statewide 107 591 hibernates
  Eastern Gray Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis common statewide 94, 95(P) 480  
  Eastern Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger common north 2/3 96, 880 479  
  Franklin's Ground Squirrel Spermophilus franklinii rare central; south central   724 hibernates
  Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel Spermophilus tridecemlineatus common statewide 103, 573(C) 103 hibernates
  Least Chipmunk Tamias minimus rare north-east 2/3 108 653 hibernates
  Eastern Chipmunk Tamias striatus common north-east 2/3 110, 259(AB) 168 hibernates
  Red Squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus locally common north 2/3 111, 260, 826, 827(H) 586  
Castoridae Beaver Castor canadensis common north 4/5 - rare in west prairies 247(H), 248(H), 408, 409(H), 410(H), 1239, 1316(H), 1317(H) 120 semi-aquatic
Geomyidae Plains Pocket Gopher / Eastern Pocket Gopher Geomys bursarius uncommon western 1/3 - does not cross the Wisconsin river in the South 690   fossorial
Dipodidae Woodland Jumping Mouse Napaeozapus insignis rare north 1/2 113 14  
  Meadow Jumping Mouse Zapus hudsonius uncommon statewide   11  
Cricetidae Southern Red-backed Vole Myodes gapperi common all but SW corner, SE, and extreme south 69 146 was Clethrionomys
  Prairie Vole Microtus ochrogaster uncommon south 1/2 1160 355  
  Meadow Vole Microtus pennsylvanicus common statewide 70 159  
  Woodland Vole / Pine Vole Microtus pinetorum rare south central   147  
  Southern Red-backed Vole Myodes gapperi common all but SW corner, SE, and extreme south 69 146 was Clethrionomys
  Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus common statewide 1162, 1163(H) 141 semi-aquatic; diurnal
  White-footed Mouse Peromyscus leucopus common statewide; rare in north 73, 251(A), 1174 247  
  Deer Mouse Peromyscus maniculatus common north 1/2 74, 1175   P. m. gracilis, common north 1/2; P. m. bairdi, uncommon to rare south 1/2
  Western Harvest Mouse Reithrodontomys megalotis rare western prairies; central savannas 1018 167  
  Southern Bog Lemming Synaptomys cooperi uncommon north 2/3 682 210  
Muridae House Mouse Mus musculus common statewide 92, 754    
  Brown Rat / Norway Rat Rattus norvegicus common statewide 755(W), 756(G), 757(B), 758   less common winter and spring
Erethizontidae North American Porcupine Erethizon dorsatum uncommon north 1/2 83, 870(Y) 29  

Major Sources:                                    

    Jackson, H. H. T.  1961.  Mammals of Wisconsin.  University of Wisconsin Press.  Madison, WI.                                            

    Long, C.  2006.  In litt.  University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point                                    

    Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (eds).  2005.  Mammal Species of the World.  Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, MD                                     

                                               

List compiled by Virginia Hayssen and Michelle Lai                                          

 

* Slide symbols

No symbol -- portrait

A -- anatomical specialization

B -- specialized behavior

C -- close-up of head region

F -- female, when sexes differ

FM -- female(s) and male(s) shown when differences obvious

G -- group

H -- Habitat or sign of animal's activity

M -- Male, when sexes differ

P -- unusual color phase

S -- skull

W -- female with young

Y -- young, may be newborn

                                               

Please send comments to Tom Tomasi at: TomTomasi@MissouriState.edu                               


Last Updated on 8/3/06
 

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