List of mammals of Oregon facts for kids

The North American beaver is the state mammal of Oregon.

The List of mammals of Oregon lists every wild mammal species living within or recently extirpated from the U.S. state of Oregon or coastal shores. Without exceptions, this list includes all species from the lists published by the American Society of Mammalogists or found in the comprehensive text Land Mammals of Oregon published in 1998. Rare instances where these two lists are discordant are noted. Species are grouped by order and then listed in sortable tables by family. The common name for each species will be followed by its binomial name. Subspecies present in the region will be discussed within the notes of the parent species. The IUCN Red List status for each species will be presented. Images presented are from Oregon sites or adjacent states, as possible. Species found only in captivity are not listed.

Oregon mammals by order

Table has not been updated for threatened species, thus all are listed "n/a".

How to read international conservation status data

Species are classified in nine groups, set through criteria such as rate of decline, population size, area of geographic distribution, degree of population and distribution fragmentation. The tables below reclassified results before 1994 to reflect the current rating system.

Low vulnerability		Threatened		Extinct		Insufficient data
Least concern Near threatened		Vulnerable Endangered Critically endangered		Extinct in the wild Extinct		Data deficient Not evaluated

Oregon terrestrial mammals

Carnivora

Between 25,000 and 30,000 black bears reside in Oregon.

Carnivora ( or from Latin carō (stem carn-) "flesh", + vorāre "to devour") is the most diverse of the mammalian orders. The gray wolf has recently made a much publicized reappearance in the state of Oregon and is included in the list below. The grizzly bear was extirpated from the state in approximately 1940. Since it is included in Land Mammals of Oregon, it is included in the list below.

Name	Species Authority	Family	State distribution and notes	Red List
Gray wolf	Canis lupus (L., 1758)	Canidae	Oregon pop. estimates end of 2013: minimum 64 individual animals, 4 breeding pairs. Protected under state Endangered Species Act throughout state and under Federal ESA west of highways. First confirmed in western state since 1947 was OR-7 (pictured), also known as Journey.	7
Grizzly bear	Ursus arctos (Linnaeus, 1758)	Ursidae	Historically, broadly distributed throughout state except for arid eastern reaches. Last grizzly was killed in Oregon in 1931, according to some authorities.
Coyote	Canis latrans (Say, 1823)	Canidae	intermediate size between foxes and wolf; albinos have been documented in state; two of nineteen geographic races known in state.	7
Red fox	Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758)	Canidae	found throughout state; red phase specimes more predominant than silver or crossed; populations increased as wolf populations declined; subspecies Sierra Nevada red fox (Vulpes vulpes necator) observed on Mt Hood and Crater Lake in or after 2010	7
Kit fox	Vulpes macrotis (Merriam, 1888)	Canidae	southeast region of state; smallest canid in N America; brownish-gray dorsum, lightening through buff to white on abdomen; large ears; tip of tail is black	7
Grey fox	Urocyon cinereoargenteus (Schreber, 1775)	Canidae	throughout state; grizzle grey colorings; tail has black stripe on dorsal aspect; nocturnal and crepuscular; tree climber for resting, foraging or escape from predators (unique among N American canids)	7
Black bear	Ursus americanus (Pallas, 1780)	Ursidae
American marten	Martes americana (Turton, 1806)	Mustelidae
Fisher	Martes pennanti (Erxleben, 1777)	Mustelidae	protected in Oregon
Ermine or short-tailed weasel	Mustela erminea	Mustelidae
Long-tailed weasel	Mustela frenata	Mustelidae
American mink	Neovison vison	Mustelidae
Wolverine	Gulo gulo	Mustelidae	Extirpated. Occasional wanderers appear from neighboring states and Canadian provinces.
American badger	Taxidea taxus	Mustelidae	Oregon badger (pictured): more common in sagebrush deserts in eastern Oregon.
Northern river otter	Lontra canadensis	Mustelidae
Sea otter	Enhydra lutris	Mustelidae	The last native sea otter in Oregon was extirpated in the early 20th century. In 1970 and 1971, a total of 95 sea otters were transplanted from Amchitka Island, Alaska to the Southern Oregon coast. However, this translocation effort failed and otters soon again disappeared from the state. Occasional sightings occur in Oregon waters, most likely wanderers from neighboring states.
Western spotted skunk	Spilogale gracilis	Mephitidae
Striped skunk	Mephitis mephitis	Mephitidae
Northern fur seal	Callorhinus ursinus	Otariidae
Steller sea lion	Eumetopias jubatus	Otariidae
Harbor seal	Phoca vitulina	Phocidae
Northern elephant seal	Mirounga angustirostris	Phocidae
Raccoon	Procyon lotor	Procyonidae
Mountain lion, puma, or cougar	Puma concolor	Felidae	Photograph is of a cougar in the Beulah Wildlife Management Unit (Malheur County, Oregon)
Canada lynx	Lynx canadensis	Felidae	historically ranged through Willamette Valley, the Cascade range, Steens Mountain, The Stinkingwater Mountains, the Blue Mountains, and the Wallowa Mountains. more common at locations with deep winter snow cover; (suitable to snowshoe hare). under federal ESA protection since 2000 with critical habitat areas defined.	7

Chiroptera

Bridges are constructed in Oregon with an eye towards protection of Townsend's big-eared bat and other wildlife species.

Name	Species Authority	Family	State distribution and notes	Red List
Big brown bat	Eptesicus fuscus	Vespertilionidae
Western pipistrelle, (Canyon bat)	Pipistrellius hesperus	Vespertilionidae	smallest bat in Oregon.	7
Western red bat	Lasiurus blossevillii	Vespertilionidae
Hoary bat	Lasiurus cinereus	Vespertilionidae
Townsend's big-eared bat	Corynorhinus townsendii	Vespertilionidae
Spotted bat	Euderma maculatum	Vespertilionidae
Pallid bat	Antrozous pallidus	Vespertilionidae	typically found in desert regions, semi-arid.	7
Silver-haired bat	Lasionycteris noctivagans	Vespertilionidae
Californian myotis	Myotis californicus	Vespertilionidae
Western small-footed bat	Myotis ciliolabrum	Vespertilionidae
Little brown myotis	Myotis lucifugus	Vespertilionidae
Dark-nosed small-footed myotis	Myotis melanorhinus	Vespertilionidae
Fringed myotis	Myotis thysanodes	Vespertilionidae
Long-legged myotis	Myotis volans	Vespertilionidae
Yuma myotis	Myotis yumanensis	Vespertilionidae
Brazilian/Mexican free-tailed bat	Tadarida brasiliensis	Molossidae

Rodentia

The North Oregon Coast population of red tree voles are candidates for protection under the Endangered Species Act.

The North Oregon Coast population of red tree voles (Arborimus longicaudus) are candidates for protection under the Endangered Species Act

Name	Species Authority	Family	State distribution and notes	Red List
Long-tailed vole	Microtus longicaudus	Cricetidae
North American beaver	Castor canadensis	Castoridae
Mountain beaver	Aplodontia rufa	Aplodontidae
Common porcupine	Erethizon dorsatum	Erethizontidae
Nutria	Myocastor coypus	Myocastoridae
Montane vole	Microtus montanus	Cricetidae
Creeping vole	Microtus oregoni	Cricetidae		7
North American water vole	Microtus richardsoni	Cricetidae		7
Townsend's vole	Microtus townsendii	Cricetidae		7
Bushy-tailed woodrat	Neotoma cinerea	Cricetidae		7
Dusky-footed woodrat	Neotoma fuscipes	Cricetidae		7
Desert woodrat	Neotoma lepida	Cricetidae		7
Common muskrat	Ondatra zibethicus	Cricetidae		7
Northern grasshopper mouse	Onychomys leucogaster	Cricetidae
White-footed vole	Arborimus albipes	Cricetidae
Red tree vole	Arborimus longicaudus	Cricetidae
Western red-backed vole	Clethrionomys californicus	Cricetidae
Southern red-backed vole	Myodes gapperi	Cricetidae
Sagebrush vole	Lemmiscus curtatus	Cricetidae
California vole	Microtus californicus	Cricetidae
Gray-tailed vole	Microtus canicaudus	Cricetidae
Brush deermouse	Peromyscus boylii	Cricetidae
Canyon deermouse	Peromyscus crinitus	Cricetidae
North American deermouse	Peromyscus maniculatus	Cricetidae
Piñon deermouse	Peromyscus truei	Cricetidae
Western heather vole	Phenacomys intermedius	Cricetidae
Western harvest mouse	Reithrodontomys megalotis	Cricetidae
Botta's pocket gopher	Thomomys bottae	Geomyidae
Northern pocket gopher	Thomomys talpoides	Geomyidae
Mazama pocket gopher	Thomomys mazama	Geomyidae
Townsend's pocket gopher	Thomomys townsendii	Geomyidae
Camas pocket gopher	Thomomys bulbivorus	Geomyidae
California kangaroo rat	Dipodomys californicus	Heteromyidae
Yellow-pine chipmunk	Tamias amoenus	Sciuridae
Least chipmunk	Tamias minimus	Sciuridae
North American red squirrel	Tamiasciurus hudsonicus	Sciuridae
Belding's ground squirrel	Urocitellus beldingi	Sciuridae
Merriam's ground squirrel	Urocitellus canus	Sciuridae
Columbian ground squirrel	Urocitellus columbianus	Sciuridae
Wyoming ground squirrel	Urocitellus elegans	Sciuridae
Chisel-toothed kangaroo rat	Dipodomys microps	Heteromyidae
Ord's kangaroo rat	Dipodomys ordii	Heteromyidae
Dark kangaroo mouse	Microdipodops megacephalus	Heteromyidae
Little pocket mouse	Perognathus longimembris	Heteromyidae
Great Basin pocket mouse	Perognathus parvus	Heteromyidae
House mouse	Mus musculus	Muridae	Not native
Brown rat	Rattus norvegicus	Muridae	Not native
Black rat	Rattus rattus	Muridae	Not native
Golden-mantled ground squirrel	Callospermophilus lateralis	Sciuridae
Douglas squirrel	Tamiasciurus douglasii	Sciuridae
Northern flying squirrel	Glaucomys sabrinus	Sciuridae
Yellow-bellied marmot	Marmota flaviventris	Sciuridae

Artiodactyla

Elk calves at the Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area

Name	Species Authority	Family	State distribution and notes	Red List
Elk	Cervus canadensis	Cervidae	common throughout state; large, heavy, deer-like
Mule deer	Odocoileus hemionus	Cervidae	common throughout
White-tailed deer	Odocoileus virginianus	Cervidae	common throughout; white tail erect when evading
Moose	Alces americanus	Cervidae	northeastern reaches, Wallowa County, small herd of the subspecies Shiras moose (A. a. shirasi); largest extant species in deer family; herbivorous	7
Pronghorn antelope	Antilocapra americana	Antilocapridae	The Oregon Pronghorn subspecies (A. a. oregona Bailey) has been described, but taxonomic status may be in question. found in sagebrush steppe in eastern regions of state. fastest mammal on the continent: top speeds of 50 mph (80 km/hr) (Image taken in Catlow Valley, Oregon)
Bighorn sheep	Ovis canadensis	Bovidae	historically native to much of eastern Oregon, but then became extinct in the state until reintroductions, recently to the Mutton Mountains, Cottonwood Canyon State Park, and near the John Day Fossil Beds in the 21st century; bighorn sheep now live in herds scattered across eastern Oregon
Mountain goat	Oreamnos americanus	Bovidae	historically native to the northern Oregon Cascades and the Wallowa and Blue mountains until extinction in the state in the 19th or 20th century; reintroduced to the Wallowa and Elkhorn mountains starting in the 20th century, and recently introduced to Mount Jefferson in 2010 and 2012 (Image is of a young goat in the Elkhorn Mountains).
American bison	Bison bison	Bovidae	historically native to eastern and central Oregon. Extirpated by the early to mid-19th century.

Insectivora

Name	Species Authority	Family	State distribution and notes	Red List
Baird's shrew	Sorex bairdii	Soricidae	endemic to NW Oregon. two subspecies described, see main article page. dwells among conifers.	7
Marsh shrew	Sorex bendirii	Soricidae
Masked shrew	Sorex cinereus	Soricidae	disputed. On ASM list but not in Verts.
Merriam's shrew	Sorex merriami	Soricidae
Dusky shrew	Sorex monticolus	Soricidae
Pacific shrew	Sorex pacificus	Soricidae
American water shrew	Sorex palustris	Soricidae
Preble's shrew	Sorex preblei	Soricidae
Fog shrew	Sorex sonomae	Soricidae
Trowbridge's shrew	Sorex trowbridgii	Soricidae
Vagrant shrew	Sorex vagrans	Soricidae
Shrew mole	Neurotrichus gibbsii	Talpidae
Broad-footed mole	Scapanus latimanus	Talpidae
Coast mole	Scapanus orarius	Talpidae
Townsend's mole	Scapanus townsendii	Talpidae

Lagomorpha

The order Lagomorpha consists of two living families: the Leporidae (hares and rabbits) and the Ochotonidae (pikas). The name of the order is derived from the Greek lagos (λαγός, "hare") and morphē (μορφή, "form"). There are eight species represented in Oregon.

Name	Species Authority	Family	State distribution and notes	Red List
American pika	Ochotona princeps (Richardson, 1828)	Ochotonidae	Columbia River Gorge, western Cascades; common herbivore; lives in rocky areas/talus habitat near vegetation, meadows; lava flows, woodcuts, disturbed habitat	7
Pygmy rabbit	Brachylagus idahoensis (Merriam, 1891)	Leporidae	southern Oregon, endangered in Washington; resides among dense sagebrush; rarely daytime; mostly active dawn/dusk (crepuscular); underground burrow dwellings; walks/scurries.	7
Snowshoe hare	Lepus americanus	Leporidae	northern coast, south-central, and eastern reaches; shelters daytime: vegetation/groundcover; active crepuscular and at night; marshes, forests, dense vegetation habitats. Lepus americanus oregonus subspecies described (Orr)	7
Black-tailed jackrabbit	Lepus californicus	Leporidae	southwestern Oregon; agricultural fields, grazing areas/pastures, sagebrush, prairies, deserts; rests in shady ground depressions daytime; active night/crepuscular; lighter markings in summer	7
White-tailed jackrabbit	Lepus townsendii	Leporidae	eastern/central; fields, grasslands, meadows; sometimes sagebrush flats; primary activity nights; characteristic zigzag pattern with rapid bursts and leaps when pursued	7
Eastern cottontail	Sylvilagus floridanus	Leporidae	eastern slopes of Willamette Valley and the Cascades; near forests, agriculutural sites, prairies, wet lowlands, margins of hardwood forests; most common of genus in state; sleeps days, under vegetation; crepuscular to nocturnal	7
Mountain cottontail	Sylvilagus nuttallii	Leporidae	east of the Cascades; near rivers/streams, rockier areas; found near spruce and ponderosa pine forests, some sagebrush flats; crepuscular; may climbs trees; eats cheat grass	7
Brush rabbit	Sylvilagus bachmani	Leporidae	verts p131	7

Didelphimorphia

There is only one species from the order Didelphimorphia in the state.

Name	Species Authority	Family	State distribution and notes	Red List
Virginia opossum	Didelphis virginiana (Kerr, 1792)	Didelphidae	introduced early 1900s; adverse impacts on native bird populations from nest disturbances and egg consumption	7

Oregon marine mammals

Cetacea

Pacific white-sided dolphins are found along the Oregon Coast.

Name	Species Authority	Family	State distribution and notes	Red List
Common minke whale	Balaenoptera acutorostrata	Balaenopteridae
Sei whale	Balaenoptera borealis	Balaenopteridae
Blue whale	Balaenoptera musculus	Balaenopteridae
Fin whale	Balaenoptera physalus	Balaenopteridae
Humpback whale	Megaptera novaeangliae	Balaenopteridae
Gray whale	Eschrichtius robustus	Eschrichtiidae
Short-beaked common dolphin	Delphinus delphis	Delphinidae
Short-finned pilot whale	Globicephala macrorhynchus	Delphinidae
Risso's dolphin	Grampus griseus	Delphinidae
Pacific white-sided dolphin	Lagernorhynchus obliquidens	Delphinidae
Northern right whale dolphin	Lissodelphis borealis	Delphinidae
Killer whale	Orcinus orca	Delphinidae
False killer whale	Pseudorca crassidens	Delphinidae
Striped dolphin	'Stenella coeruleoalba	Delphinidae
Harbor porpoise	Phocoena phocoena	Phocoenidae
Dall's porpoise	Phocoenoides dalli	Phocoenidae
Sperm whale	Physeter macrocephalus	Physeteridae
Pygmy sperm whale	Kogia breviceps	Kogiidae
Dwarf sperm whale	Kogia sima	Kogiidae
Baird's beaked whale	Berardius bairdii	Ziphiidae
Hubbs' beaked whale	Mesoplodon carlhubbsi	Ziphiidae
Stejneger's beaked whale	Mesoplodon stejnegeri	Ziphiidae
Cuvier's beaked whale	Ziphius cavirostris	Ziphiidae