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List of mammals of the Northern Mariana Islands facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Welcome to a list of amazing mammals found in the Northern Mariana Islands! These islands are home to seven different kinds of mammals. Sadly, one of these species is in danger of disappearing forever, and another is quite vulnerable.

Scientists use special tags to show how well each animal species is doing. These tags are from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN):

EX Extinct This means the animal has completely disappeared from Earth.
EW Extinct in the wild These animals only live in zoos or special protected areas, not 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 its survival right now.
DD Data deficient We don't have enough information to know how well this animal is doing.

Some animals were assessed a while ago using slightly different rules. For these animals, you might see these tags instead of "Near threatened" or "Least concern":

LR/cd Lower risk/conservation dependent These animals needed special help to survive. If that help stopped, they might be in more danger.
LR/nt Lower risk/near threatened These animals are almost at the "Vulnerable" stage, but they don't have special conservation programs yet.
LR/lc Lower risk/least concern There are no known risks to these animals right now.

Order: Sirenia (Manatees and Dugongs)

Sirenia is a group of mammals that live completely in water. They are plant-eaters and can be found in rivers, coastal waters, swamps, and wetlands. All four species in this group are currently endangered.

Order: Chiroptera (Bats)

Bats are special because their front limbs have become wings, making them the only mammals that can truly fly! About 20% of all mammal species are bats.

Order: Carnivora (Meat-eating Mammals)

There are over 260 different kinds of carnivorans. Most of them eat mainly meat. They have a unique skull shape and teeth that help them with their diet.

    • Clade Pinnipedia (Seals, Sea Lions, and Walruses)
      • Family: Phocidae (Earless seals)
        • Genus: Mirounga

* Northern elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris LC

Order: Cetacea (Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises)

The Cetacea group includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. These mammals are perfectly suited for life in the water. They have a smooth, nearly hairless body shaped like a spindle, covered by a thick layer of blubber. Their front limbs and tail are shaped to help them move through the water.

* Bryde's whale, Balaenoptera edeni DD * Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis EN

* Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae VU

* Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus VU

      • Family: Kogiidae
        • Genus: Kogia

* Dwarf sperm whale, Kogia sima LR/lc

      • Family: Ziphidae
        • Subfamily: Hyperoodontinae

*Genus: Mesoplodon ** Blainville's beaked whale, Mesoplodon densirostris DD

      • Family: Delphinidae (Marine dolphins)
        • Genus: Lagenodelphis

* Fraser's dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei DD

        • Genus: Peponocephala

* Melon-headed whale, Peponocephala electra LR/lc

* Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuata DD

        • Genus: Pseudorca

* False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens LR/lc

* Pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus LR/cd

* Orca, Orcinus orca LR/cd

Images for kids

  • Dugong

    A Dugong swimming in the ocean.

See also

  • List of chordate orders
  • Lists of mammals by region
  • List of prehistoric mammals
  • Mammal classification
  • List of mammals described in the 2000s
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