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List of mammals of Christmas Island facts for kids

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This is a list of the mammal species recorded on Christmas Island. The island had five native and endemic land mammal species, of which three are now presumed to be extinct. In addition, five wild mammals have been introduced to Christmas Island since settlement.

Carnivora

Introduced cats and dogs are a threat to native wildlife on Christmas Island and can carry potentially dangerous pathogens, such as Leptospira. In 2014, the Australian Government announced a $500,000 investment to help eradicate stray and feral cats on the island, with the aim of complete eradication by 2020. As of 2016, all pet cats on Christmas Island have been registered and de-sexed and no further cats will be permitted onto the island.

Name Species
authority
Order Family Notes
Feral cat
Feral cat 1.JPG
Felis catus
Linnaeus, 1758
Carnivora Felidae introduced
Feral dog
Wilde huendin am stillen.jpg
Canis lupus familiaris
Linnaeus, 1758
Carnivora Canidae introduced

Chiroptera

Christmas Island was once home to two native bat species, of which only one is extant. The Christmas Island pipistrelle was endemic to the island until 2009, when the last individual was recorded. In 2016, the species was assessed as extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The remaining native bat species Pteropus natalis (Christmas Island flying fox) is classified as critically endangered.

Name Species
authority
Order Family Notes Red List
Christmas Island pipistrelle Pipistrellus murrayi
Andrews, 1900
Chiroptera Vespertilionidae endemic, extinct – last reported in 2009
7
Fl mammals ex.svg
Christmas Island flying fox
Pteropus melanotus natalis - the Christmas Island flying-fox.jpg
Pteropus natalis
Thomas, 1887
Chiroptera Pteropodidae endemic
7
Fl mammals cr.svg

Eulipotyphla

The Christmas Island shrew, once abundant on the island, has been very rare since the early twentieth century. Since 1909, only four confirmed individuals have been recorded: two in 1958, and two in 1985.

Name Species
authority
Order Family Notes Red List
Christmas Island shrew Crocidura trichura
Dobson, 1889
Eulipotyphla Soricidae endemic – possibly extinct – last observed in 1985
7
Fl mammals cr.svg

Rodentia

At the time of human settlement, Christmas Island hosted two endemic rodents, the bulldog rat and Maclear's rat. However, both species were extinct by 1908. There is evidence that black rats, introduced to the island in 1899, carried the infectious parasite Trypanosoma lewisi, which was fatal to the native rodents.

Name Species
authority
Order Family Notes Red List
House mouse
House mouse.jpg
Mus musculus
Linnaeus, 1758
Rodentia Muridae introduced
7
Fl mammals lc.svg
Polynesian rat
Pacific rat.jpg
Rattus exulans
Peale, 1848
Rodentia Muridae introduced
7
Fl mammals lc.svg
Maclear's rat
MusMacleariSmit.jpg
Rattus macleari
Thomas, 1888
Rodentia Muridae endemic – extinct
7
Fl mammals ex.svg
Bulldog rat
Rattus nativitatis.jpg
Rattus nativitatis
Thomas, 1888
Rodentia Muridae endemic – extinct
7
Fl mammals ex.svg
Black rat
Rattus rattus03.jpg
Rattus rattus
Linnaeus, 1758
Rodentia Muridae introduced in 1899
7
Fl mammals lc.svg

Cetacea

Name Species
authority
Order Family Notes Red List
Humpback whale
Humpback Whale fg1 cropped.JPG
Megaptera novaeangliae
Gray, 1846
Cetacea Balaenopteridae native migrant
7
Fl mammals en.svg
Blue whale
Rug van blauwe vinvis Sri Lanka.jpg
Balaenoptera musculus
Linnaeus, 1758
Cetacea Balaenoptiidae migrant
7
Fl mammals en.svg
Southern fin whale
Finhval (1).jpg
Balaenoptera physalus quoyi
Linnaeus, 1758
Cetacea Balaenoptiidae native migrant or resident
7
Fl mammals en.svg
Sei whale
Sei whale mother and calf Christin Khan NOAA.jpg
Balaenoptera borealis schlegelii
Linnaeus, 1758
Cetacea Balaenoptiidae native migrant
7
Fl mammals en.svg
Bryde's whale
Bryde´s whale.jpg
Balaenoptera brydei
Olsen, 1913
Cetacea Balaenoptiidae native migrant or resident
7
Fl mammals dd.svg
Antarctic minke whale
Antarctic, minky whales (js) 13.jpg
Balaenoptera bonaerensis
Linnaeus, 1758
Cetacea Physeteridae native migrant
7
Fl mammals lc.svg
Sperm whale
Mother and baby sperm whale.jpg
Physeter macrocephalus
Linnaeus, 1758
Cetacea Physeteridae native migrant or resident
7
Fl mammals vu.svg
Short-finned pilot whale
Maldivian pilot whales.png
Globicephala macrorhynchus
Gray, 1846
Cetacea Globicephala native migrant or resident
7
Fl mammals dd.svg
Killer whale
Orcinus orca NOAA Photo Library.jpg
Orcinus orca
Linnaeus, 1758
Cetacea Delphinidae native migrant or resident
7
Fl mammals dd.svg
Spinner dolphin
Stenella longirostris Maldives.jpg
Stenella longirostris
Gray, 1828
Cetacea Delphinidae native migrant or resident
7
Fl mammals dd.svg
Short-beaked common dolphin
Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) 4.jpg
Delphinus delphis
Linnaeus, 1758
Cetacea Delphinidae native migrant or resident
7
Fl mammals lc.svg
Common bottlenose dolphin
Tursiops truncatus Maldives.jpg
Tursiops truncatus
Montagu, 1821
Cetacea Delphinidae possible migrant
7
Fl mammals lc.svg

Sirenia

Name Species
authority
Order Family Notes Red List
Dugong
Dugong Lamen Island Epi Vanuatu.jpeg
Dugong dugon
Lacépède, 1799
Sirenia Dugongidae possible vagrant
7
Fl mammals vu.svg

See also

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List of mammals of Christmas Island Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.