List of mammals of Massachusetts
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{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
This is a list of mammals of Massachusetts. It includes all mammals currently living in Massachusetts, whether resident or as migrants, as well as extirpated species. For the most part, it does not include each mammal's specific habitat, but instead shows the mammal's range in the state and its abundance.
Chiroptera (bats)
In 2008, white-nose syndrome was recorded in Massachusetts. Afterwards, the bat population declined by 98%, and thus, in 2012, the little brown myotis, northern long-eared myotis, and tricolored bats were listed as endangered in the state.
Carnivora (carnivorans)
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!style=background:navajowhite|Name !style=background:navajowhite|Species/authority !style=background:navajowhite|Family !style=background:navajowhite|Range and status !style=background:navajowhite|IUCN Red List | ||||
| Eastern coyote File:Canis latrans var. 1.jpg | Canis latrans | Canidae | Common; statewide, except Nantucket | none |
| Eastern wolf File:Washtenaw County's last wolf (1907).jpg | Canis lycaon | Canidae | Extirpated; last reported in 1840, although there were two sightings in 1918 and 2007 in Franklin County{{Cite web |date=9 August 2013 |title=United States |url=https://www.wolf.org/wow/united-states/ |website=Wolf.org}} | File:NE IUCN 3 1.svg |
| Gray fox File:Greyfox.jpg | Urocyon cinereoargenteus | Canidae | Common; statewide except Dukes, Nantucket, and Suffolk counties | none |
| Red fox File:Acadia National Park, red fox.jpg | Vulpes vulpes | Canidae | Common; statewide except Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket | none |
| Raccoon File:RacoonANP.jpg | Procyon lotor | Procyonidae | Common, statewide except Nantucket | none |
| American black bear File:Black Bear in the Pittsburgh Zoo.jpg | Ursus americanus | |Ursidae | Rarity varies locally; found in most of the state, but not common in southeast Massachusetts. | none |
| Canada lynx File:Lynx-canadensis.jpg | Lynx canadensis | Felidae | Extirpated; formerly central and western Massachusetts; reported in Hampshire (1866) and Worcester (1884–1885) counties, questionable reports in the 1930s were probably bobcats; two records in 1991 | none |
| Bobcat File:Bobcat-snow-winter - Virginia - ForestWander.jpg | Lynx rufus | Felidae | Common in northeastern, central and western Massachusetts, but rare in southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod; absent in the islands | none |
| Eastern cougar File:EasternCougar.jpg | Puma concolor couguar | Felidae | Extirpated; last known record was in 1858. However, in 1997, a DNA testing of feces found in the Quabbin Reservoir in Franklin County was that of a cougar, although it could have been an escaped captive | |
| Wolverine File:Gulo gulo 2.jpg | Gulo gulo | Mustelidae | Extirpated; lasted reported in 1835, formerly western Massachusetts | none |
| North American river otter File:North American River Otter, Beardsley Zoo, 2009-11-06.jpg | Lontra canadensis | Mustelidae | Common; statewide except Suffolk County; records in Nantucket in 1984 and 2007 | none |
| American marten File:Martes americana Yellowstone 3.jpg | Martes americana | Mustelidae | Extirpated; formerly central, western, and possibly northeastern Massachusetts; last reported in Worcester County (1880) although two records in 1992 and 1993 may have come from Vermont | none |
| American ermine File:Ermine- Bacon Fiend (14083889879).jpg | Mustela richardsonii | Mustelidae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties; rare in Cape Cod | File:NE IUCN 3 1.svg |
| Long-tailed weasel File:Long tailed weasel.jpg | Neogale frenata | Mustelidae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties | none |
| Sea minkFile:Neovison macrodon.png | Neogale macrodon | Mustelidae | Formerly coastal Massachusetts; became extinct from overtrapping | none |
| American mink File:MinkforWiki.jpg | Neogale vison | Mustelidae | Common; statewide except Nantucket, possibly extirpated from Martha's Vineyard | none |
| Fisher File:Fisher-face-snow - West Virginia - ForestWander.jpg | Pekania pennanti | Mustelidae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties | none |
| Striped skunk File:Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) DSC 0030.jpg | Mephitis mephitis | Mephitidae | Common, statewide except the Elizabeth Islands and Nantucket | none |
| Bearded seal File:Bearded Seal.jpg | Erignathus barbatus | Phocidae | One record; Essex County (2002) | none |
| Grey seal File:GreySealMating.jpg | Halichoerus grypus | Phocidae | Found in Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties; Population has increased after seal hunting became illegal in 1962, known pupping sights are in Monomoy and Muskeget islands | none |
| Harp seal File:Harp seal at False Cape (cropped).jpg | Pagophilus groenlandicus | Phocidae | Common winter visitor; reported from Plymouth, Suffolk, Essex, and Barnstable counties. Sightings are increasing, especially in winter | none |
| Harbor seal File:Phoca vitulina he.jpg | Phoca vitulina | Phocidae | A common seal in Massachusetts. Found in coastal areas, including Barnstable, Suffolk, Essex, and Plymouth counties. Regular winter visitor in Cape Cod and the islands. Originally bred in the state but no known breeding areas. However, pups have been reported in Plymouth | none |
| Ringed seal File:Ringedsealportrait.jpg | Pusa hispida | Phocidae | Uncommon in Massachusetts; most seen in winter | none |
| Walrus File:Noaa-walrus22.jpg | Odobenus rosmarus | Odobenidae | Rare vagrant. Reported from Essex (1937) and Plymouth (1734) counties | none |
Cetacea (cetaceans)
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| Bowhead whale File:Bowheads42.jpg | Balaena mysticetus | Balaenidae | Occasionally seen in winter; probably uncommon | none |
| North Atlantic right whale File:Eubalaena glacialis with calf.jpg | Eubalaena glacialis | Balaenidae | Uncommon, winter and spring visitor in Cape Cod Bay | none |
| Northern bottlenose whale File:Northern bottlenose whale size.svg | Hyperoodon ampullatus | Ziphiidae | Rare, pelagic, stranded in Barnstable and Essex counties | none |
| Sowerby's beaked whale File:Sowerby's beaked whale size.svg | Mesoplodon bidens | Ziphiidae | Only two records in Nantucket | none |
| Blainville's beaked whale File:Beaked Whale.jpg | Mesoplodon densirostris | Ziphiidae | One record in Essex County | none |
| Gervais' beaked whale File:Gervais' beaked whale size.svg | Mesoplodon europaeus | Ziphiidae | One record in Cape Cod | none |
| True's beaked whale File:True's beaked whale size.svg | Mesoplodon mirus | Ziphiidae | One record in Nantucket | none |
| Cuvier's beaked whale File:Wal Cuviera.jpg | Ziphius cavirostris | Ziphiidae | Pelagic, stranded in Barnstable, Norfolk, and Dukes counties | none |
| Beluga whale File:Beluga03.jpg | Delphinapterus leucas | Monodontidae | Vagrant, observed in the waters of Essex, Barnstable, Dukes, and Bristol counties | none |
| Short-beaked common dolphin File:Delphinus delphis with calf.jpg | Delphinus delphis | Delphinidae | Uncommon, found in Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, and Nantucket counties | none |
| Short-finned pilot whale File:PilotWhale.jpg | Globicephala macrorhynchus | Delphinidae | Uncommon, occurs in schools, primarily found in warmer waters offshore | none |
| Long-finned pilot whale File:LF Pilot Whale Goban Spur.jpg | Globicephala melas | Delphinidae | Uncommon, occurs in schools and is frequently stranded | none |
| Risso's dolphin File:Risso's dolphin.jpg | Grampus griseus | Delphinidae | Uncommon, offshore waters, stranded in Barnstable, Dukes, and Norfolk counties | none |
| White-beaked dolphin File:DolphinBreathing.jpg | Lagenorhynchus albirostris | Delphinidae | Rare, found in coastal waters, reported from Barnstable and Essex counties | none |
| Atlantic white-sided dolphin File:Atlantic white-sided dolphin swimming.jpg |Leucopleurus acutus |Common, found in coastal waters, stranded in Norfolk, Essex, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket | none | ||||
| Killer whale File:Killerwhales jumping.jpg | Orcinus orca | Delphinidae | Rare, offshore waters, stranded in Barnstable and Dukes counties, observed in Plymouth and Suffolk counties | none |
| Pantropical spotted dolphin File:Schlankdelfin.jpg | Stenella attenuata | Delphinidae | Uncommon, found in offshore waters | none |
| Striped dolphin File:Stenella coeruleoalba-cropped.jpg | Stenella coeruleoalba | Delphinidae | Rare, pelagic, reported from Dukes, Nantucket, Plymouth, Barnstable, and Essex counties | none |
| Atlantic spotted dolphin File:Dolphind.jpg | Stenella frontalis | Delphinidae | Rare, reported from Nantucket and Dukes counties | none |
| Common bottlenose dolphin File:Tursiops truncatus 01-cropped.jpg | Tursiops truncatus | Delphinidae | Rare, found in inshore waters, stranded in Barnstable and Plymouth counties | none |
| Pygmy sperm whale File:Pygmy sperm whale size.svg | Kogia breviceps | Physeteroidea | Rare, found in offshore waters, stranded in Barnstable, Plymouth, Essex, Norfolk, and Dukes counties, recorded in Bristol County waters | none |
| Dwarf sperm whale File:Kogia sima.jpg | Kogia sima | Physeteroidea | Rarely seen, stranded in Nantucket and Plymouth counties, distinguished from the pygmy sperm whale by being smaller and having a larger dorsal fin | none |
| Sperm whale File:Mother and baby sperm whale.jpg | Physeter macrocephalus | Physeteroidea | Rare, formerly abundant offshore, stranded in Barnstable, Dukes, Essex, Nantucket, and Plymouth counties. The largest toothed whale. Dives deep to hunt for food | none |
| Harbour porpoise File:Daan Close Up.PNG | Phocoena phocoena | Phocoenidae | Common, found entirely in coastal waters | none |
| Common minke whale File:Balaenoptera acutorostrata Saint-Laurent 01a.jpg | Balaenoptera acutorostrata | Rorqual | Common, found in the inshore waters, stranded in Norfolk, Essex, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties | none |
| Sei whale File:Sei whale mother and calf Christin Khan NOAA.jpg | Balaenoptera borealis | Rorqual | Found in Cape Cod Bay and Massachusetts Bay, stranded in Cape Cod (1910 and 1974), Essex (2007), and Plymouth (1948) counties, endangered and rare in Massachusetts | none |
| Blue whale File:Anim1754 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library.jpg | Balaenoptera musculus | Rorqual | One questionable stranding in Essex County reported in 1755, Recent near-shore records, endangered and rare in Massachusetts | none |
| Fin whale File:Fin whale from air.jpg | Balaenoptera physalus | Rorqual | Common but endangered, stranded in Barnstable, Essex, Dukes, and Plymouth counties | none |
| Humpback whale Image:Humpback Whale underwater shot.jpg | Megaptera novaeangliae | Rorqual | Common but endangered, stranded in Barnstable, Dukes, Essex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Suffolk counties | none |
Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
Lagomorpha (rabbits and hares)
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| Snowshoe hare File:Photo of the Week - Snowshoe hare (ME) (5840474808).jpg | Lepus americanus | Leporidae | Common; statewide except Dukes County; introduced to Nantucket | none |
| Black-tailed jackrabbit File:Jackrabbit2 crop.JPG | Lepus californicus | Leporidae | Introduced, uncommon; found only in Nantucket | none |
| European hare File:Feldhase Schiermonnikoog.JPG | Lepus europaeus | Leporidae | Introduced; found only in Berkshire County | none |
| European rabbit File:Kaninchen.jpg | Oryctolagus cuniculus | Leporidae | Introduced to Lovells Island and Gallops Island | none |
| Eastern cottontail File:Sylvilagus floridanus Yardley PA.jpg | Sylvilagus floridanus | Leporidae | Introduced, common, statewide | none |
| New England cottontail File:Sylvilagus transitionalis (juvenile).jpg | Sylvilagus transitionalis | Leporidae | Rare; formerly common and found statewide, now found only in Cape Cod, Nantucket, and southwestern Massachusetts | none |
Didelphimorphia (New World opossums)
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| Virginia opossum File:Young Possum.jpg | Didelphis virginiana | Didelphinae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties | none |
Rodentia (rodents)
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| North American beaver File:LEAVE IT TO BEAVER.jpg | Castor canadensis | Castoridae | Common; northeastern, Central, and Western Massachusetts | none |
| Meadow vole File:MeadowVoleNASideView.JPG | Microtus pennsylvanicus | Cricetidae | Common; statewide | none |
| Beach vole | Microtus pennsylvanicus breweri | Cricetidae | endemic to Muskeget Island | File:VU IUCN 3 1.svg |
| Woodland vole File:Woodland Vole Microtus Pinetorum.jpg | Microtus pinetorum | Cricetidae | Locally common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties | none |
| Southern red-backed vole File:Red-backed vole.jpg | Myodes gapperi | Cricetidae | Common; statewide except Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket | none |
| Allegheny woodrat File:Neotoma magister.jpg | Neotoma magister | Cricetidae | Extirpated; may have occurred in southwestern Berkshire County | none |
| Muskrat File:01-sbis-10-03.jpg | Ondantra zibethicus | Cricetidae | Common; statewide except Nantucket | none |
| White-footed mouse File:White-footed Mouse, Cantley, Quebec.jpg | Peromyscus leucopus | Cricetidae | Common; statewide | none |
| Eastern deer mouse File:Deer_Mouse_(Peromyscus_maniculatus)_(9310532204).jpg |Peromyscus maniculatus | Cricetidae | Common; central and western Massachusetts | none | |
| Southern bog lemming File:Synaptomys cooperi.jpg | Synaptomys cooperi | Cricetidae | Very rare; listed as special concern. Known from the towns of Plymouth, Wareham, New Salem, Ware, and Belchertown | none |
| Woodland jumping mouse File:Woodland jumping mouse.jpg | Napaeozapus insignis | Dipodidae | Common; Central and western Massachusetts | none |
| Meadow jumping mouse File:Zapus hudsonius.jpg | Zapus hudsonius | Dipodidae | Common; statewide | none |
| House mouse File:Mouse white background.jpg | Mus musculus | Muridae | Introduced; statewide except Martha's Vineyard | none |
| Brown rat File:Rattus norvegicus 1.jpg | Rattus norvegicus | Muridae | Introduced; statewide | none |
| Black rat File:Rattus rattus03.jpg | Rattus rattus | Muridae | Introduced; statewide | none |
| North American porcupine File:Porcupine-BioDome.jpg | Erethizon dorsatum | Erethizonidae | Common; northeastern, central, and western Massachusetts | none |
| Northern flying squirrel File:Virginia northern flying squirrel on a tree glaucomys sabrinus fuscus.jpg | Glaucomys sabrinus | Sciuridae | Uncommon; northeastern, central, and western Massachusetts | none |
| Southern flying squirrel File:Southern Flying Squirrel-27527-1.jpg | Glaucomys volans | Sciuridae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties | none |
| Groundhog File:Groundhog3.jpg | Marmota monax | Sciuridae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties | none |
| Eastern gray squirrel File:Gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) in Boston Public Garden September 2010.jpg | Sciurus carolinensis | Sciuridae | Common; statewide, introduced in Nantucket in 1989
| none | |
| Eastern chipmunk File:Eastern Chipmunk (11818374633).jpg | Tamias striatus | Sciuridae | Common; statewide except Nantucket | none |
| American red squirrel File:AmericanRedSquirrel.jpg | Tamiasciurus hudsonicus | Sciuridae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties | none |
Eulipotyphla (shrews and moles)
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| Northern short-tailed shrew Image:NShortTailedShrew23.jpg | Blarina brevicauda | Soricidae | Common; statewide | none |
| Cinereus shrew File:MaskedShrew23.jpg | Sorex cinereus | Soricidae | Common; statewide | none |
| Long-tailed shrew | Sorex dispar | Soricidae | Rare; special concern; found only in Berkshire County | none |
| Smoky shrew File:SmokyShrew23.jpg | Sorex fumeus | Soricidae | Uncommon; Central and Western Massachusetts | none |
| American pygmy shrew | Sorex hoyi | Soricidae | One record; Berkshire County (1991) | none |
| American water shrew File:AmWaterShrew23.jpg | Sorex palustris | Soricidae | Uncommon; special concern, found in Central and Western Massachusetts | none |
| Star-nosed mole File:Condylura.jpg | Condylura cristata | Talpidae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties | none |
| Hairy-tailed mole | Parascalops breweri | Talpidae | Uncommon; northeastern, Central, and Western Massachusetts | none |
| Eastern mole File:ScalopusAquaticus.jpg | Scalopus aquaticus | Talpidae | Common; found in southern Plymouth county, southern Connecticut River Valley, Cape Cod, and Dukes and Nantucket counties | none |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
- Kays, R. W., and Wilson, D. W., Mammals of North America, Princeton University Press, {{ISBN|0-691-07012-1}}
- Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds) Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press. {{ISBN|0-8018-8221-4}}.
- [http://www.mnh.si.edu/mna/ Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Mammals of North America]
- [http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfwmam.htm Mammal List of Massachusetts] Cardoza, J. E., Jones, G. S., and French, T. W.
External links
- [http://www.mammalsociety.org/ American Society of Mammalogists]
{{Lists of mammals by U.S. state}}