List of mammals of Russia facts for kids

The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is the national animal of Russia

Welcome to the amazing world of mammals found in Russia! Russia is a huge country, and it's home to a wide variety of animals. You'll find 266 different kinds of mammals living here.

Sadly, some of these animals are in danger. Five species are critically endangered, meaning they are very close to disappearing forever. Thirteen are endangered, and twenty-six are vulnerable. Six species are near threatened, which means they might be in danger soon. One mammal that used to live in Russia is now extinct, and another can no longer be found in the wild.

All the mammals in Russia belong to a group called placental mammals. This means the babies grow inside their mother and get food and oxygen through a special organ called a placenta.

To help you understand how safe or in danger each animal is, we use special tags from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Here's what they mean:

EX	Extinct	This animal is gone forever. The last one has died.
EW	Extinct in the wild	This animal only lives in zoos or special protected areas. You won't find it in nature anymore.
CR	Critically endangered	This animal is in extreme danger of disappearing from the wild very soon.
EN	Endangered	This animal faces a very high risk of disappearing from the wild.
VU	Vulnerable	This animal is at a high risk of disappearing from the wild.
NT	Near threatened	This animal isn't in immediate danger, but it might be in the future.
LC	Least concern	This animal is doing well, and there are no big worries about it right now.
DD	Data deficient	We don't have enough information to know if this animal is in danger or not.

Order: Rodentia (Rodents)

Red squirrel

European hamster

Bobak marmot

Edible dormouse

Northern birch mouse

Winter white Russian dwarf hamster

Bank vole

Norway lemming

Common vole

Tundra vole

Yellow-necked mouse

Rodents are the largest group of mammals. More than 40% of all mammal species are rodents! They have two special front teeth (incisors) in their upper and lower jaws. These teeth never stop growing, so rodents have to keep gnawing to keep them short. Most rodents are small, but some, like the capybara, can be quite large.

Rodent Families in Russia

Family: Castoridae (Beavers)
- Eurasian beaver, Castor fiber
Family: Sciuridae (Squirrels)
- Red squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris
- Siberian flying squirrel, Pteromys volans
- Bobak marmot, Marmota bobak
- Siberian chipmunk, Eutamias sibiricus
Family: Gliridae (Dormice)
- European edible dormouse, Glis glis
Family: Dipodidae (Jerboas)
- Great jerboa, Allactaga major
- Northern birch mouse, Sicista betulina
Family: Spalacidae (Mole Rats and Zokors)
- Russian mole rat, Spalax giganteus
Family: Cricetidae (Hamsters and Voles)
- European hamster, Cricetus cricetus
- Winter white Russian dwarf hamster, Phodopus sungorus
- European water vole, Arvicola amphibius
- Bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus
- Norway lemming, Lemmus lemmus
- Common vole, Microtus arvalis
Family: Muridae (Mice and Rats)
- Yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis
- Eurasian harvest mouse, Micromys minutus
- Brown rat, Rattus norvegicus (introduced)

Order: Lagomorpha (Lagomorphs)

Northern pika

European rabbit

Mountain hare

Lagomorphs include hares, rabbits, and pikas. They might look a bit like rodents, but they are actually a separate group. One key difference is that lagomorphs have four front teeth in their upper jaw, while rodents only have two.

Lagomorph Families in Russia

Family: Leporidae (Rabbits, Hares)
- European hare, Lepus europaeus
- Mountain hare, Lepus timidus
- European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (introduced)
Family: Ochotonidae (Pikas)
- Northern pika, Ochotona hyperborea

Order: Eulipotyphla (Shrews, Hedgehogs, Moles)

West European hedgehog

Lesser white-toothed shrew

Common shrew

Russian desman

European mole

Eulipotyphlans are mammals that mostly eat insects. Hedgehogs are known for their spiny coats, while shrews look a bit like mice. Moles are strong burrowers that live underground.

Eulipotyphlan Families in Russia

Family: Erinaceidae (Hedgehogs)
- West European hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus
Family: Soricidae (Shrews)
- Lesser white-toothed shrew, Crocidura suaveolens
- Common shrew, Sorex araneus
- Eurasian water shrew, Neomys fodiens
Family: Talpidae (Moles)
- Russian desman, Desmana moschata VU
- European mole, Talpa europaea

Order: Chiroptera (Bats)

Daubenton's bat

Barbastelle

Serotine bat

Common noctule

Bats are unique because they are the only mammals that can truly fly! Their front limbs have developed into wings. About 20% of all mammal species are bats.

Bat Families in Russia

Family: Vespertilionidae (Common Bats)
- Daubenton's bat, Myotis daubentonii
- Western barbastelle, Barbastella barbastellus
- Serotine bat, Eptesicus serotinus
- Common noctule, Nyctalus noctula
- Brown long-eared bat, Plecotus auritus
- Ussuri tube-nosed bat, Murina ussuriensis EN
Family: Molossidae (Free-tailed Bats)
- European free-tailed bat, Tadarida teniotis
Family: Rhinolophidae (Horseshoe Bats)
- Greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum

Order: Cetacea (Whales, Dolphins, Porpoises)

Bowhead whales in Shantar Islands

Blue whale

Humpback whale

Western gray whale on Sakhalin

Orca

This order includes all the amazing animals that live entirely in water, like whales, dolphins, and porpoises. They have sleek, hairless bodies, a thick layer of blubber for warmth, and their front limbs and tails are shaped for swimming.

Whale and Dolphin Families in Russia

Suborder: Mysticeti (Baleen Whales)
- These whales have baleen plates instead of teeth to filter tiny food from the water.
  - Bowhead whale, Balaena mysticetus
  - North Pacific right whale, Eubalaena japonica EN
  - Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus EN
  - Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae VU
  - Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Suborder: Odontoceti (Toothed Whales)
- These whales have teeth and hunt their prey.
  - Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus VU
  - Narwhal, Monodon monoceros DD
  - Beluga, Delphinapterus leucas VU
  - Harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena VU
  - Dall's porpoise, Phocoenoides dalli
  - Orca, Orcinus orca
  - Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba
  - Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis

Order: Carnivora (Carnivores)

Leopard cat

Siberian tiger

Snow leopard

Red fox

Corsac fox

Gray wolf

Dhole

Raccoon dog

Least weasel

European otter

Northern fur seal

Walrus

Common seal

Baikal Seal

Carnivores are mammals that mostly eat meat. They have special teeth and skull shapes that help them hunt and eat other animals. There are over 260 different kinds of carnivores.

Carnivore Families in Russia

Family: Felidae (Cats)
- European wildcat, Felis silvestris
- Eurasian lynx, Lynx lynx
- Pallas's cat, Otocolobus manul
- Leopard cat, Prionailurus bengalensis
- Amur leopard, Panthera pardus orientalis
- Siberian tiger, Panthera tigris tigris
- Snow leopard, Panthera uncia
Family: Canidae (Dogs, Foxes)
- Red fox, Vulpes vulpes
- Arctic fox, Vulpes lagopus
- Raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides
- Gray wolf, Canis lupus
Family: Ursidae (Bears)
- Brown bear, Ursus arctos
- Polar bear, Ursus maritimus
- Asiatic black bear, Ursus thibetanus
Family: Mustelidae (Weasels, Otters, Badgers)
- Sea otter, Enhydra lutris
- Wolverine, Gulo gulo
- Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra
- Sable, Martes zibellina
- European badger, Meles meles
- Least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Family: Otariidae (Eared Seals, Sea Lions)
- Northern fur seal, Callorhinus ursinus
- Steller sea lion, Eumetopias jubatus
Family: Odobenidae (Walrus)
- Walrus, Odobenus rosmarus
Family: Phocidae (Earless Seals)
- Bearded seal, Erignathus barbatus
- Grey seal, Halichoerus grypus
- Common seal, Phoca vitulina
- Baikal seal, Pusa sibirica

Order: Perissodactyla (Odd-toed Ungulates)

Wild horse

Odd-toed ungulates are large mammals that eat plants. Their weight is mostly carried on their middle toe. They have simple stomachs.

Odd-toed Ungulate Families in Russia

Family: Equidae (Horses)
- Wild horse, Equus ferus (reintroduced)
- Onager, Equus hemionus

Order: Artiodactyla (Even-toed Ungulates)

Saiga antelope

West Caucasian tur

Even-toed ungulates are also plant-eating mammals. Their weight is spread evenly across their third and fourth toes. Many of these animals are very important to humans, like cattle and sheep.

Even-toed Ungulate Families in Russia

Family: Suidae (Pigs)
- Wild boar, Sus scrofa
Family: Moschidae (Musk Deer)
- Siberian musk deer, Moschus moschiferus
Family: Cervidae (Deer)
- Red deer, Cervus elaphus
- Sika deer, Cervus nippon
- Moose, Alces alces
- Roe deer, Capreolus capreolus
- Reindeer, Rangifer tarandus
Family: Bovidae (Cattle, Antelopes, Sheep, Goats)
- Saiga antelope, Saiga tatarica
- European bison, Bison bonasus (reintroduced)
- Wild goat, Capra aegagrus
- West Caucasian tur, Capra caucasica
- Siberian ibex, Capra sibrica
- Muskox, Ovibos moschatus
- Argali, Ovis ammon
- Chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra

Animals No Longer Found in Russia

Some mammal species that once lived in Russia are now gone.

Locally Extinct (No Longer in the Wild in Russia)

Wild yak, Bos mutus
Dhole, Cuon alpinus
Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus monachus

Extinct (Gone Forever)

Aurochs, Bos primigenius
Steller's sea cow, Hydrodamalis gigas
Japanese sea lion, Zalophus japonicus