List of mammals of Colorado facts for kids

The bighorn sheep is the state mammal of Colorado

This list of mammals of Colorado lists every wild mammal species seen in the U.S. state of Colorado, based on the list published by the Colorado Division of Wildlife. It does not include species found only in captivity. Species in this list are grouped by order and then by family within each order. The common name for each species is followed by its binomial name.

The following codes are used to designate some species:

• EN - Species is listed as endangered by the IUCN.
• NT - Species is listed as near threatened by the IUCN.
• EX - Species has been extirpated from Colorado, but can still be found outside the state.

Didelphimorphia

Opossums

Order: Didelphimorphia   Family: Didelphidae

• Virginia opossum, Didelphis virginiana

Cingulata

Armadillos

Order: Cingulata   Family: Dasypodidae

• Nine-banded armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus

Rodentia

Beavers

Order: Rodentia   Family: Castoridae

• North American beaver, Castor canadensis

Pocket gophers

Order: Rodentia   Family: Geomyidae

• Plains pocket gopher, Geomys bursarius
• Yellow-faced pocket gopher, Pappogeomys castanops
• Botta's pocket gopher, Thomomys bottae
• Northern pocket gopher, Thomomys talpoides

Kangaroo rats, pocket mice

Order: Rodentia   Family: Heteromyidae

• Ord's kangaroo rat, Dipodomys ordii
• Hispid pocket mouse, Chaetodipus hispidus
• Olive-backed pocket mouse, Perognathus fasciatus
• Plains pocket mouse, Perognathus flavescens
• Silky pocket mouse, Perognathus flavus
• Great Basin pocket mouse, Perognathus merriami

New World porcupines

Order: Rodentia   Family: Erethizontidae

• North American porcupine, Erethizon dorsatum

Jumping mice

Order: Rodentia   Family: Dipodidae

• Meadow jumping mouse, Zapus hudsonius
• Western jumping mouse, Zapus princeps

New World rats, New World mice, voles

Order: Rodentia   Family: Cricetidae

• Southern red-backed vole, Clethrionomys gapperi
• Sagebrush vole, Lemmiscus curtatus
• Long-tailed vole, Microtus longicaudus
• Mexican vole, Microtus mexicanus
• Montane vole, Microtus montanus
• Prairie vole, Microtus ochrogaster
• Meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus
• Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus
• Western heather vole, Phenacomys intermedius
• White-throated woodrat, Neotoma albigula
• Bushy-tailed woodrat, Neotoma cinerea
• Eastern woodrat, Neotoma floridana
• Desert woodrat, Neotoma lepida
• Mexican woodrat, Neotoma mexicana
• Southern plains woodrat, Neotoma micropus
• Brush mouse, Peromyscus boylii
• Canyon mouse, Peromyscus crinitus
• White-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus
• Deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus
• Northern rock mouse, Peromyscus nasutus
• Pinyon mouse, Peromyscus truei
• Western harvest mouse, Reithrodontomys megalotis
• Plains harvest mouse, Reithrodontomys montanus
• Northern grasshopper mouse, Onychomys leucogaster
• Hispid cotton rat, Sigmodon hispidus

Chipmunks, marmots, squirrels

Order: Rodentia   Family: Sciuridae

• Abert's squirrel, Sciurus aberti
• Fox squirrel, Sciurus niger
• American red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
• White-tailed antelope squirrel, Ammospermophilus leucurus
• Gunnison's prairie dog, Cynomys gunnisoni
• White-tailed prairie dog, Cynomys leucurus
• Black-tailed prairie dog, Cynomys ludovicianus
• Yellow-bellied marmot, Marmota flaviventris
• Wyoming ground squirrel, Spermophilus elegans
• Golden-mantled ground squirrel, Spermophilus lateralis
• Spotted ground squirrel, Spermophilus spilosoma
• Thirteen-lined ground squirrel, Spermophilus tridecemlineatus
• Rock squirrel, Spermophilus variegatus
• Cliff chipmunk, Tamias dorsalis
• Least chipmunk, Tamias minimus
• Colorado chipmunk, Tamias quadrivittatus
• Hopi chipmunk, Tamias rufus
• Uinta chipmunk, Tamias umbrinus

Lagomorpha

Pikas

Order: Lagomorpha   Family: Ochotonidae

• American pika, Ochotona princeps

Hares, rabbits

Order: Lagomorpha   Family: Leporidae

• Desert cottontail, Sylvilagus audubonii
• Eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus
• Mountain cottontail, Sylvilagus nuttallii
• Pygmy rabbit, Brachylagus idahodensis
• Snowshoe hare, Lepus americanus
• Black-tailed jackrabbit, Lepus californicus
• White-tailed jackrabbit, Lepus townsendii

Soricomorpha

Shrews

Order: Soricomorpha   Family: Soricidae

• Elliot's short-tailed shrew, Blarina hylophaga
• North American least shrew, Cryptotis parva
• Crawford's gray shrew, Notiosorex crawfordi
• Cinereus shrew, Sorex cinereus
• American pygmy shrew, Sorex hoyi
• Merriam's shrew, Sorex merriami
• Montane shrew, Sorex monticolus
• Dwarf shrew, Sorex nanus
• American water shrew, Sorex palustris

Moles

Order: Soricomorpha   Family: Talpidae

• Eastern mole, Scalopus aquaticus

Chiroptera

Vesper bats

Order: Chiroptera   Family: Vespertilionidae

• Silver-haired bat, Lasionycteris noctivagans
• California myotis, Myotis californicus
• Western small-footed myotis, Myotis ciliolabrum
• Long-eared myotis, Myotis evotis
• Little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus
• Fringed myotis, Myotis thysanodes
• Long-legged myotis, Myotis volans
• Yuma myotis, Myotis yumanensis
• Pallid bat, Antrozous pallidus
• Big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus
• Spotted bat, Euderma maculatum
• Eastern red bat, Lasiurus borealis
• Hoary bat, Lasiurus cinereus
• Western pipistrelle, Parastrellus hesperus
• Eastern pipistrelle, Perimyotis subflavus
• Townsend's big-eared bat, Corynorhinus townsendii

Free-tailed bats

Order: Chiroptera   Family: Molossidae

• Big free-tailed bat, Nyctinomops macrotis
• Mexican free-tailed bat, Tadarida brasiliensis

Carnivora

Cats

Order: Carnivora   Family: Felidae

• Bobcat, Lynx rufus
• Canada lynx, Lynx canadensis
• Cougar, Puma concolor

Coyotes, foxes, wolves

Order: Carnivora   Family: Canidae

• Kit fox, Vulpes macrotis
• Swift fox, Vulpes velox
• Red fox, Vulpes vulpes
• Gray fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus
• Coyote, Canis latrans
• Gray wolf, Canis lupus EX (occasional sightings occur in CO of wandering individuals from neighboring states)

Bears

Order: Carnivora   Family: Ursidae

• American black bear, Ursus americanus
• Grizzly bear, Ursus arctos EX

Skunks

Order: Carnivora   Family: Mephitidae

• Western spotted skunk, Spilogale gracilis
• Eastern spotted skunk, Spilogale putorius
• Striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis
• American hog-nosed skunk, Conepatus leuconotus

Weasels

Order: Carnivora   Family: Mustelidae

• Ermine, Mustela erminea
• Long-tailed weasel, Mustela frenata
• Black-footed ferret, Mustela nigripes EN
• American mink, Mustela vison
• American marten, Martes americana
• American badger, Taxidea taxus
• North American river otter, Lontra canadensis
• Wolverine, Gulo gulo EN

Raccoons

Order: Carnivora   Family: Procyonidae

• Ringtail, Bassariscus astutus
• Raccoon, Procyon lotor

Artiodactyla

Pronghorns

Order: Artiodactyla   Family: Antilocapridae

• Pronghorn, Antilocapra americana

Deer

Order: Artiodactyla   Family: Cervidae

• Elk, Cervus canadensis
• Moose, Alces alces
• Mule deer, Odocoileus hemionus
• White-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus

Bovines

Order: Artiodactyla   Family: Bovidae

• American bison, Bison bison NT
• Mountain goat, Oreamnos americanus
• Bighorn sheep, Ovis canadensis

Images for kids

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  The bighorn sheep is the state mammal of Colorado

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  Opossum

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  Nine-banded armadillo

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  Beaver

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  Porcupine

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  Pika

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  Snowshoe hare during summer months

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  Cougar

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  Coyote

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  Badger

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  Marten

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  Mink

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  North American river otter

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  Common raccoon

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  Rocky Mountain elk

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  Moose

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  Mountain goat