List of mammals of Spain facts for kids

The Iberian lynx, the most endangered cat species in the world, exists only in the wild in Spain.

This list shows the IUCN Red List status of 115 mammal species occurring in Spanish territory, both in and outside the Iberian Peninsula. Seven species are endangered, thirteen are vulnerable, and three are near threatened. If the IUCN Red List status of a species in Spain differs from its global status, the status in Spain is shown next between brackets.

The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed on the respective IUCN Red List:

EX	Extinct	No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died.
EW	Extinct in the wild	Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range.
CR	Critically endangered	The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild.
EN	Endangered	The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
VU	Vulnerable	The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
NT	Near threatened	The species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to do so in the future.
LC	Least concern	There are no current identifiable risks to the species.
DD	Data deficient	There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species.

Subclass: Theria

Infraclass: Eutheria

Order: Macroscelidea (elephant shrews)

North African elephant shrew

Elephant shrews are small insectivorous mammals native to Africa and members of the superorder Afrotheria. Their name derives from their elongated noses resembling the trunks of elephants, to whom they are distantly related.

Family: Macroscelididae
- Genus: Elephantulus
  - North African elephant shrew, E. rozeti LC

Order: Rodentia (rodents)

Eurasian beavers

Red squirrel

Garden dormouse

Southwestern water vole

Common vole

Yellow-necked mouse

Eurasian harvest mouse

Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to 45 kg (99 lb).

Suborder: Castorimorpha
- Family: Castoridae (beavers)
  - Subfamily: Castorinae
    - Tribe: Castorini
      - Genus: Castor
        Eurasian beaver, C. fiber LC
Suborder: Hystricomorpha
- Infraorder: Hystricognathi
  - Family: Hystricidae (old world porcupines)
    - Subfamily: Hystricinae
      - Genus: Hystrix
        Crested porcupine, H. cristata LC
Suborder: Sciurognathi
- Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
  - Subfamily: Sciurinae
    - Tribe: Sciurini
      - Genus: Sciurus
        Red squirrel, S. vulgaris LC
  - Subfamily: Xerinae
    - Tribe: Marmotini
      - Genus: Marmota
        Alpine marmot, M. marmota LC
    - Tribe: Xerini
      - Genus: Atlantoxerus
        Barbary ground squirrel, A. getulus LC introduced
- Family: Gliridae (dormice)
  - Subfamily: Leithiinae
    - Genus: Eliomys
      - Garden dormouse, E. quercinus NT
      - Maghreb garden dormouse, E. munbyanus LC
  - Subfamily: Glirinae
    - Genus: Glis
      - Edible dormouse, G. glis LC
Suborder: Myomorpha
- Family: Cricetidae (hamsters, voles, lemmings)
  - Subfamily: Arvicolinae
    - Genus: Arvicola
      - Southwestern water vole, A. sapidus VU
      - European water vole, A. amphibius LC
    - Genus: Chionomys
      - Snow vole, C. nivalis LC
    - Genus: Microtus
      - Cabrera's vole, M. cabrerae NT
      - Field vole, M. agrestis LC
      - Common vole, M. arvalis LC
      - Mediterranean pine vole, M. duodecimcostatus LC
      - Gerbe's vole, M. gerbei LC
      - Lusitanian pine vole, M. lusitanicus LC
    - Genus: Myodes
      - Bank vole, M. glareolus LC
    - Genus: Ondatra
      - Muskrat, O. zibethicus LC introduced
- Family: Muridae (mice and rats)
  - Subfamily: Gerbillinae
    - Genus: Dipodillus
      - North African gerbil, D. campestris LC
  - Subfamily: Murinae
    - Genus: Apodemus
      - Yellow-necked mouse, A. flavicollis LC
      - Wood mouse, A. sylvaticus LC
    - Genus: Lemniscomys
      - Barbary striped grass mouse, L. barbarus LC
    - Genus: Micromys
      - Eurasian harvest mouse, M. minutus LC
    - Genus: Mus
      - House mouse, M. musculus LC
      - Algerian mouse, M. spretus LC
    - Genus: Rattus
      - Black rat, R. rattus LC
      - Brown rat, R. norvegicus LC
- Family: Myocastoridae (coypu)
  - Subfamily: Myocastorinae
    - Genus: Myocastor
      - Coypu, Myocastor coypu LC introduced

Order: Lagomorpha (lagomorphs)

European rabbit

The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early 20th century, they have since been considered a separate order. They differ from rodents in a number of physical characteristics, such as having four incisors in the upper jaw rather than two.

Family: Leporidae (rabbits, hares)
- Genus: Lepus
  - Broom hare, L. castroviejoi VU
  - European hare, L. europaeus LC
  - Cape hare, L. capensis LC
  - Granada hare, L. granatensis LC
- Genus: Oryctolagus
  - European rabbit, O. cuniculus EN

Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)

West European hedgehog

The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and gymnures. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats.

Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs)
- Subfamily: Erinaceinae
  - Genus: Atelerix
    - North African hedgehog, A. algirus LC
  - Genus: Erinaceus
    - West European hedgehog, E. europaeus LC

Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)

Lesser white-toothed shrew

Eurasian pygmy shrew

Pyrenean desman

European mole

The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout bodied burrowers.

Family: Soricidae (shrews)
- Subfamily: Crocidurinae
  - Genus: Crocidura
    - Canary shrew, C. canariensis EN
    - North African white-toothed shrew, C. ichnusae LC introduced
    - Greater white-toothed shrew, C. russula LC
    - Lesser white-toothed shrew, C. suaveolens LC
    - Whitaker's shrew, C. whitakeri LC
  - Genus: Suncus
    - Etruscan shrew, S. etruscus LC
- Subfamily: Soricinae
  - Tribe: Nectogalini
    - Genus: Neomys
      - Southern water shrew, N. anomalus LC
      - Eurasian water shrew, N. fodiens LC
  - Tribe: Soricini
    - Genus: Sorex
      - Alpine shrew, S. alpinus NT
      - Common shrew, S. araneus LC
      - Crowned shrew, S. coronatus LC
      - Iberian shrew, S. granarius LC
      - Eurasian pygmy shrew, S. minutus LC
Family: Talpidae (moles)
- Subfamily: Talpinae
  - Tribe: Desmanini
    - Genus: Galemys
      - Pyrenean desman, G. pyrenaicus VU
  - Tribe: Talpini
    - Genus: Talpa (genus)
      - European mole, T. europaea LC
      - Iberian mole, T. occidentalis LC

Order: Chiroptera (bats)

Daubenton's bat

Lesser noctule

Nathusius' pipistrelle

Brown long-eared bat

The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.

Suborder: Megachiroptera
- Family: Pteropodidae (flying foxes, Old World fruit bats)
  - Genus: Rousettus
    - Egyptian fruit bat, R. aegyptiacus NT
Suborder: Microchiroptera
- Family: Vespertilionidae
  - Subfamily: Myotinae
    - Genus: Myotis
      - Long-fingered bat, M. capaccinii VU
      - Bechstein's bat, M. bechsteini NT
      - Greater mouse-eared bat, M. myotis LC
      - Lesser mouse-eared bat, M. blythii LC
      - Alcathoe bat, M. alcathoe DD
      - Felten's myotis, M. punicus NT
      - Brandt's bat, M. brandti LC
      - Cryptic myotis, M. crypticus
      - Daubenton's bat, M. daubentonii LC
      - Geoffroy's bat, M. emarginatus LC
      - Escalera's bat, M. escalerai LC
      - Whiskered bat, M. mystacinus LC
      - Natterer's bat, M. nattereri LC
  - Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
    - Genus: Barbastella
      - Barbastelle, B. barbastellus NT
    - Genus: Eptesicus
      - Serotine bat, E. serotinus LC
      - Mediterranean serotine bat, E. isabellinus DD
    - Genus: Hypsugo
      - Savi's pipistrelle, H. savii LC
    - Genus: Nyctalus
      - Greater noctule bat, N. lasiopterus NT
      - Lesser noctule, N. leisleri LC
      - Common noctule, N. noctula LC
    - Genus: Pipistrellus
      - Nathusius' pipistrelle, P. nathusii LC
      - Kuhl's pipistrelle, P. kuhlii LC
      - Madeira pipistrelle, P. maderensis VU
      - Common pipistrelle, P. pipistrellus LC
      - Soprano pipistrelle, P. pygmaeus LC
    - Genus: Plecotus
      - Canary big-eared bat, P. teneriffae VU
      - Alpine long-eared bat, P. macrobullaris NT
      - Brown long-eared bat, P. auritus LC
      - Grey long-eared bat, P. austriacus LC
  - Subfamily: Miniopterinae
    - Genus: Miniopterus
      - Schreibers' long-fingered bat, M. schreibersii NT
- Family: Molossidae
  - Genus: Tadarida
    - European free-tailed bat, T. teniotis LC
- Family: Rhinolophidae
  - Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
    - Genus: Rhinolophus
      - Mediterranean horseshoe bat, R. euryale VU
      - Mehely's horseshoe bat, R. mehelyi VU
      - Greater horseshoe bat, R. ferrumequinum NT
      - Lesser horseshoe bat, R. hipposideros NT

Order: Cetacea (whales)

The last North Atlantic right whale captured on the Basque Country coast, near Orio in 1901. This species was known as "Basque whale" or "Whale of the Basques" because of how often it was hunted by Basque whalers.

Fin whale watching off Tarifa in strait of Gibraltar

Bryde's whale off La Gomera

Short-finned pilot whales off Tenerife, are one the main attractions of local tourism in Canary islands

Common dolphins in Gibraltar Bay

Atlantic spotted dolphin with an injured dorsal fin off La Gomera

Small numbers of striped dolphins live around Gijón

The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. They are the mammals most fully adapted to aquatic life with a spindle-shaped nearly hairless body, protected by a thick layer of blubber, and forelimbs and tail modified to provide propulsion underwater.

Suborder: Mysticeti
- Family: Balaenidae (right whales)
  - Genus: Eubalaena
    - North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis globally EN, functionally extinct in eastern north Atlantic
- Family: Eschrichtiidae (gray whales)
  - Genus: Eschrichtius
    - North Atlantic gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus EX (possibly a vagrant from Pacific appeared in 2010)
- Family: Balaenopteridae (rorquals)
  - Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
    - Genus: Balaenoptera
      - Blue whale, B. musculus EN
      - Sei whale, B. borealis EN
      - Fin whale, B. physalus VU
      - Minke whale, B. acutorostrata LC
      - Bryde's whale, B. edeni LC
  - Subfamily: Megapterinae
    - Genus: Megaptera
      - Humpback whale, M. novaeangliae LC
Suborder: Odontoceti
- Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
  - Genus: Steno
    - Rough-toothed dolphin, S. bredanensis DD
  - Genus: Stenella
    - Striped dolphin, S. coeruleoalba VU
    - Atlantic spotted dolphin, S. frontalis LC
  - Genus: Delphinus
    - Short-beaked common dolphin, D. delphis EN
  - Genus: Lagenodelphis
    - Fraser's dolphin, L. hosei LC
  - Genus: Lagenorhynchus
    - Atlantic white-sided dolphin, L. acutus LC
    - White-beaked dolphin, L. albirostris LC
  - Genus: Globicephala
    - Pilot whale, G. melas DD
    - Short-finned pilot whale, G. macrorhynchus LC
  - Genus: Grampus
    - Risso's dolphin, G. griseus DD
  - Genus: Feresa
    - Pygmy killer whale, F. attenuata LC
  - Genus: Pseudorca
    - False killer whale, P. crassidens NT
  - Genus: Orcinus
    - Orca, O. orca DD
  - Genus: Tursiops
    - Common bottlenose dolphin, T. truncatus VU
- Family: Kogiidae (small sperm whales)
  - Genus: Kogia
    - Pygmy sperm whale, K. breviceps DD
    - Dwarf sperm whale, K. sima DD
- Family: Phocoenidae (porpoises)
  - Genus: Phocoena
    - Harbour porpoise, P. phocoena VU
- Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales)
  - Genus: Physeter
    - Sperm whale, P. macrocephalus VU
- Family: Ziphiidae (beaked whales)
  - Genus: Ziphius
    - Cuvier's beaked whale, Z. cavirostris DD
  - Subfamily: Hyperoodontinae
    - Genus: Hyperoodon
      - Northern bottlenose whale, H. ampullatus DD
    - Genus: Mesoplodon
      - Sowerby's beaked whale, M. bidens DD
      - Blainville's beaked whale, M. densirostris DD
      - Gervais' beaked whale, M. europaeus DD
      - Gray's beaked whale, M. grayi DD
      - True's beaked whale, M. mirus DD

Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)

A captive European wildcat

Common genet

Iberian wolf

European mink

Mediterranean monk seal (young)

There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.

Suborder: Feliformia
- Family: Felidae
  - Subfamily: Felinae
    - Genus: Lynx
      - Iberian lynx, L. pardinus EN
    - Genus: Felis
      - European wildcat, F. silvestris LC
- Family: Viverridae (civets)
  - Subfamily: Viverrinae
    - Genus: Genetta
      - Common genet, G. genetta LC
- Family: Herpestidae (mongooses)
  - Genus: Herpestes
    - Egyptian mongoose, H. ichneumon LC
Suborder: Caniformia
- Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
  - Genus: Vulpes
    - Red fox, V. vulpes LC
  - Genus: Canis
    - Gray wolf, C. lupus LC
    - African golden wolf, C. anthus LC
- Family: Ursidae (bears)
  - Genus: Ursus
    - Brown bear, U. arctos LC
- Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
  - Genus: Mustela
    - European mink, M. lutreola CR
    - Stoat, M. erminea LC
    - Least weasel, M. nivalis LC
    - European polecat, M. putorius LC
  - Genus: Martes
    - Beech marten, M. foina LC
    - Pine marten, M. martes LC
  - Genus: Meles
    - Eurasian badger, M. meles LC
  - Genus: Lutra
    - European otter, L. lutra NT
  - Genus: Neovison
    - American mink, N. vison LC introduced
- Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
  - Genus: Monachus
    - Mediterranean monk seal, M. monachus EN
  - Genus: Cystophora
    - Hooded seal, C. cristata VU
  - Genus: Phoca
    - Ringed seal, P. hispida LC
    - Harbor seal, P. vitulina LC
  - Genus: Erignathus
    - Bearded seal, E. barbatus LC
  - Genus: Halichoerus
    - Grey seal, H. grypus LC

Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)

Spanish ibex

Pyrenean chamois

The even-toed ungulates are ungulates whose weight is borne about equally by the third and fourth toes, rather than mostly or entirely by the third as in perissodactyls. There are about 220 artiodactyl species, including many that are of great economic importance to humans.

Family: Suidae (pigs)
- Subfamily: Suinae
  - Genus: Sus
    - Wild boar, S. scrofa LC
Family: Cervidae (deer)
- Subfamily: Cervinae
  - Genus: Cervus
    - Red deer, C. elaphus LC
  - Genus: Dama
    - Fallow deer, D. dama LC
- Subfamily: Capreolinae
  - Genus: Capreolus
    - Roe deer, C. capreolus LC
Family: Bovidae
- Subfamily: Caprinae
  - Genus: Ammotragus
    - Barbary sheep, A. lervia VU
  - Genus: Capra
    - Wild goat, C. aegagrus VU
    - Spanish ibex, C. pyrenaica LC
  - Genus: Rupicapra
    - Pyrenean chamois, R. pyrenaica LC
  - Genus: Ovis
    - Mouflon, O. aries orientalis NA