List of mammals of Christmas Island Facts for Kids

Christmas Island is a special place, home to many unique animals! This article is all about the mammals recorded on Christmas Island. Sadly, out of five land mammals that originally lived only here, three are now gone forever. Also, five other types of wild mammals have been brought to the island by people.

Carnivores: Cats and Dogs
Bats of Christmas Island
The Christmas Island Shrew
Rodents: Rats and Mice
Whales and Dolphins
Dugongs
Images for kids
See also

Carnivores: Cats and Dogs

Cats and dogs that live in the wild on Christmas Island can be a problem for the native animals. They can also carry diseases that might be dangerous. In 2014, the Australian Government started a project to remove stray and wild cats from the island. Their goal was to get rid of all of them by 2020. By 2016, all pet cats on the island were registered and had been spayed or neutered. This means no more cats will be allowed on the island in the future.

Feral cat (Felis catus): These are domestic cats that now live in the wild. They were introduced to the island by people.
Feral dog (Canis lupus familiaris): These are domestic dogs that now live in the wild. They were also introduced to the island.

Bats of Christmas Island

Christmas Island used to have two types of bats that lived only there. Now, only one of them is still around. The Christmas Island pipistrelle was a tiny bat that disappeared in 2009. In 2016, experts officially declared it extinct, meaning there are no more left anywhere in the world. The other native bat, the Christmas Island flying fox (Pteropus natalis), is in big trouble. It is listed as critically endangered, which means it's very close to becoming extinct.

Christmas Island pipistrelle (Pipistrellus murrayi): This small bat lived only on Christmas Island. It was last seen in 2009 and is now extinct.
Christmas Island flying fox (Pteropus natalis): This bat also lives only on Christmas Island. It is critically endangered, meaning it's at high risk of extinction.

The Christmas Island Shrew

The Christmas Island shrew is a very small, mouse-like mammal. It used to be common on the island, but it has been very rare since the early 1900s. Since 1909, only four shrews have been seen for sure. Two were seen in 1958, and two more in 1985. It is possible this animal is now extinct.

Christmas Island shrew (Crocidura trichura): This tiny mammal lived only on Christmas Island. It was last seen in 1985 and might now be extinct.

Rodents: Rats and Mice

When people first came to Christmas Island, there were two types of rats that lived only there: the bulldog rat and Maclear's rat. Sadly, both of these rats were extinct by 1908. It seems that black rats, which arrived on the island in 1899, carried a sickness that was deadly to the native rats.

House mouse (Mus musculus): These mice were introduced to the island by people.
Polynesian rat (Rattus exulans): These rats were introduced to the island.
Maclear's rat (Rattus macleari): This rat lived only on Christmas Island and is now extinct.
Bulldog rat (Rattus nativitatis): This rat also lived only on Christmas Island and is now extinct.
Black rat (Rattus rattus): These rats were introduced to the island in 1899 and may have caused the extinction of native rats.

Whales and Dolphins

Many amazing whales and dolphins visit the waters around Christmas Island. Some are just passing through, while others might live there for part of the year.

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae): A large whale that travels through the area.
Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus): The largest animal on Earth, it migrates through these waters.
Southern fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus quoyi): A large whale that either migrates or lives near the island.
Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis schlegelii): Another large whale that travels through the area.
Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera brydei): This whale might migrate or live near the island.
Antarctic minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis): A smaller whale that migrates through the area.
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus): A large toothed whale that might migrate or live near the island. It is listed as vulnerable.
Short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus): These dolphins might migrate or live near the island.
Killer whale (Orcinus orca): Also known as orcas, these powerful dolphins might migrate or live near the island.
Spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris): These playful dolphins might migrate or live near the island.
Short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis): These dolphins might migrate or live near the island.
Common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus): These well-known dolphins might visit the area.