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List of mammals of Ireland facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Ireland is home to many amazing mammals! Before the year 1500, 27 different kinds of mammals lived here naturally or had settled in. In 2019, experts checked on these 27 species. They found that one species is now gone from Ireland, and another is at risk. But good news: 25 species are doing well! Nine other mammal species arrived in Ireland after the year 1500.

Experts use a special list called the IUCN Red List to show how safe or endangered an animal species is. Here's what the different levels mean:

Extinct This means the very last animal of that species has died. It's gone forever.
Extinct in the wild These animals only live in zoos or special places, or in new areas far from their original home.
Critically endangered This species is in very high danger of disappearing from the wild soon.
Endangered This species is facing a very high risk of disappearing from the wild.
Vulnerable This species is facing a high risk of disappearing from the wild.
Near threatened This species isn't in immediate danger, but it might be in the future.
Least concern There are no big worries for this species right now. It's doing fine.
Data deficient We don't have enough information to know if this species is at risk or not.

NE means the animal is not endemic, which means it wasn't originally from Ireland.

Marsupials: Amazing Pouched Mammals

Most marsupials, like kangaroos and wallabies, live in Australia. But one type, the red-necked wallaby, has been brought to Ireland. You can find a group of them living and having babies on Lambay Island!

Rodents: The Gnawing Animals

Ab sciurus vulgaris
A red squirrel sitting on a branch.

Rodents are the biggest group of mammals, making up over 40% of all mammal species! They have two front teeth in their top and bottom jaws that never stop growing. They have to keep gnawing on things to keep their teeth short.

  • Suborder: Sciurognathi
    • Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
      • Subfamily: Sciurinae
        • Genus: Sciurus

* Eastern grey squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis introduced * Red squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris

    • Family: Cricetidae
      • Subfamily: Arvicolinae
        • Genus: Clethrionomys

* Bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus introduced

    • Family: Muridae (mice, rats, etc.)
      • Subfamily: Murinae
        • Genus: Apodemus

* Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus

*House mouse, Mus musculus

* Brown rat, Rattus norvegicus introduced * Black rat, Rattus rattus naturalised

* Hazel dormouse, M. avellanarius introduced

  • Suborder: Hystricomorpha
    • Family: Echimyidae (spiny rats)
      • Subfamily: Echimyinae
        • Genus: Myocastor

* Coypu, M. coypus introduced

Lagomorphs: Rabbits and Hares

Kaninchen
A European rabbit eating grass.

Lagomorphs include two main families: Leporidae (hares and rabbits) and Ochotonidae (pikas). They might look like rodents, but they are actually a separate group. One key difference is that lagomorphs have four front teeth in their upper jaw, not two.

Hedgehogs: Spiky Friends

Igel01
A West European hedgehog walking on grass.

The Erinaceomorpha group has only one family, Erinaceidae. This family includes hedgehogs and gymnures. Hedgehogs are easy to spot because of their spines! Gymnures look more like large rats.

  • Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs)
    • Subfamily: Erinaceinae
      • Genus: Erinaceus
        • West European hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus

Shrews and Moles: Tiny Insect Eaters

Sorex minutus
A small Eurasian pygmy shrew.

These "shrew-forms" are mammals that mostly eat insects. Shrews look a lot like mice, while moles are strong, burrowing animals that live underground.

Bats: The Flying Mammals

Myotis daubentoni01
A Daubenton's bat flying.
Plecotus auritus 2013-2 (cropped)
A brown long-eared bat hanging upside down.

The most special thing about bats is their front limbs, which have become wings! This makes them the only mammals that can truly fly. About 20% of all mammal species are bats.

Whales and Dolphins: Ocean Mammals

Humpback whale fluke (1)
A humpback whale diving, showing its tail.
Porpoise touching
A harbour porpoise near the surface of the water.
Rundkopfdelfin
A Risso's dolphin swimming.
Bull Killer Whale near Victoria BC
A large bull killer whale swimming.

The Cetacea group includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. They are mammals that have fully adapted to living in the water. They have a smooth, almost hairless body, a thick layer of fat called blubber, and their front fins and tail help them move through the water.

* Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata * Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis * Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus * Blue whale, B. musculus

* Harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena

      • Family: Ziphidae (beaked whales)

* Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris

      • Subfamily: Hyperoodontinae
        • Genus: Hyperoodon

* Northern bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus

        • Genus: Mesoplodon

* Sowerby's beaked whale, Mesoplodon bidens * Gervais' beaked whale, Mesoplodon europaeus * True's beaked whale, Mesoplodon mirus

      • Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
        • Genus: Lagenorhynchus

* White-beaked dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris

* Atlantic white-sided dolphin, Leucopleurus acutus

* Common dolphin, Delphinus delphis

* Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus

        • Genus: Stenella

* Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba

        • Genus: Grampus

* Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus

* Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas

        • Genus: Pseudorca

* False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens

* Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus

      • Family: Kogiidae
        • Genus: Kogia

* Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps

    • Superfamily: Platanistoidea
      • Family: Monodontidae (narwhals)
        • Genus: Delphinapterus

* Beluga, Delphinapterus leucas vagrant

* Orca, Orcinus orca

Carnivores: Meat Eaters and More

Suffolk-stoats
Two stoats standing on a log.
Grey seal rhossili 1
A grey seal resting on rocks.

The Carnivora group has over 260 species. Most of them eat meat as their main food. They have a special skull shape and teeth that help them with this diet.

Even-Toed Ungulates: Hoofed Animals

RedDeerCaithness
A red deer stag with large antlers.
Main article: Deer of Ireland

Even-toed ungulates are hoofed animals. Their weight is spread almost equally on their third and fourth toes. There are about 220 different species in this group, and many are very important to humans.

  • Family: Cervidae (deer)
    • Subfamily: Cervinae
      • Genus: Cervus
      • Genus: Dama
        • European fallow deer, Dama dama naturalised
    • Subfamily: Capreolinae

Animals No Longer Found in Ireland

The following animal species used to live in Ireland but are now locally extinct. This means they are gone from the country:

How Ireland's Mammals Compare to Great Britain's

Some mammal species live in Great Britain but not in Ireland. Here are a few examples:

See also

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List of mammals of Ireland Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.