List of threatened mammals of the United States facts for kids

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a group that keeps track of how safe different animal and plant species are. They say that 65 types of mammals in the United States are either threatened or almost threatened with disappearing forever, which is called extinction.

The IUCN puts these animals into different groups based on how much danger they are in:

• Near threatened: These animals might be in danger soon.
• Vulnerable: These animals are likely to become endangered if things don't change.
• Endangered: These animals are in high danger of disappearing.
• Critically endangered: These animals are in extremely high danger of disappearing very soon.

Sadly, five mammal species that used to live in the U.S. have already become extinct since the 1500s.

Amazing Mammals in Danger

This list shows some of the mammals in the U.S. that need our help. They are grouped by their scientific orders, which are like big families of animals.

Whales and Hoofed Animals (Artiodactyla)

This group includes animals with hooves, like deer and bison, and also amazing ocean creatures like whales!

Big Whales (Balaenidae and Balaenopteridae)

These are some of the largest animals on Earth.

• North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis)
• North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena japonica)
• Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis)
• Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
• Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
• Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)

Hoofed Mammals (Bovidae and Cervidae)

These animals have hooves and are often grazers.

• Aoudad (Ammotragus lervia) - This animal was brought here from North Africa.
• Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) - This animal was brought here from India.
• American bison (Bison bison) - A famous symbol of the American West.
• Hog deer (Axis porcinus) - Brought here from South Asia.
• Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus)
• Philippine deer (Rusa marianna) - Brought here from the Philippines.
• Sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) - Brought here from South Asia.

Ocean Whales with Teeth (Monodontidae and Physeteridae)

These whales have teeth, unlike the big baleen whales.

• Beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) - The Cook Inlet group in Alaska is especially at risk.
• Narwhal (Monodon monoceros) - Sometimes, a narwhal might wander into U.S. waters from the Arctic Ocean near Canada, Greenland, or Russia.
• Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - The largest toothed whale.

Meat-Eating Mammals (Carnivora)

This group includes many familiar predators, from foxes to bears.

Dogs and Cats (Canidae and Felidae)

• Red wolf (Canis rufus) - A very rare wolf species.
• Island fox (Urocyon littoralis) - A small fox found on islands off California.
• Jaguar (Panthera onca) - A powerful big cat.

Skunks and Weasels (Mephitidae and Mustelidae)

• Eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius)
• Sea otter (Enhydra lutris) - Known for holding hands while they sleep.
• Black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) - One of North America's most endangered mammals.
• Sea mink (Neogale macrodon) - This animal has been extinct since the 1860s.

Seals, Sea Lions, and Walruses (Odobenidae, Otariidae, and Phocidae)

These are marine mammals that spend much of their lives in the ocean.

• Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus)
• Northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus)
• Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus)
• Hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) - Occasionally wanders from Canada, Greenland, or Norway.
• Hawaiian monk seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi) - Lives only around the Hawaiian Islands.
• Caribbean monk seal (Neomonachus tropicalis) - This animal has been extinct since the 1950s.

Bears (Ursidae)

• Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) - Lives in the Arctic and is threatened by climate change.

Bats (Chiroptera)

Bats are the only mammals that can truly fly!

• Pacific sheath-tailed bat (Emballonura semicaudata)
• Florida bonneted bat (Eumops floridanus)
• Mexican long-tongued bat (Choeronycteris mexicana)
• Greater long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris nivalis)
• Lesser long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae)
• Red fruit bat (Stenoderma rufum)
• Mariana fruit bat (Pteropus mariannus)
• Samoa flying fox (Pteropus samoensis)
• Guam flying fox (Pteropus tokudae) - This animal has been extinct since the 1960s.
• Gray bat (Myotis grisescens)
• Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Shrews and Moles (Eulipotyphla)

These are small, often hidden, insect-eating mammals.

• Puerto Rican nesophontes (Nesophontes edithae) - This animal has been extinct since the 1500s.
• Pribilof Island shrew (Sorex pribilofensis)

Rabbits and Hares (Lagomorpha)

• Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis)
• White-sided jackrabbit (Lepus callotis)
• European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) - Brought here from Western Europe.
• Appalachian cottontail (Sylvilagus obscurus)
• Robust cottontail (Sylvilagus robustus)
• New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis)

Rodents (Rodentia)

This is the largest group of mammals, including mice, rats, squirrels, and gophers.

Mice, Voles, and Rats (Cricetidae)

• Red tree vole (Arborimus longicaudus)
• California red tree mouse (Arborimus pomo)
• Beach vole (Microtus breweri)
• Allegheny woodrat (Neotoma magister)
• Florida mouse (Podomys floridanus)
• Salt marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris)

Gophers and Kangaroo Rats (Geomyidae and Heteromyidae)

• Desert pocket gopher (Geomys arenarius)
• Texas kangaroo rat (Dipodomys elator)
• Giant kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ingens)
• Fresno kangaroo rat (Dipodomys nitratoides)
• Banner-tailed kangaroo rat (Dipodomys spectabilis)
• Stephens's kangaroo rat (Dipodomys stephensi)
• White-eared pocket mouse (Perognathus alticolus)

Squirrels and Prairie Dogs (Sciuridae)

• San Joaquin antelope squirrel (Ammospermophilus nelsoni)
• Utah prairie dog (Cynomys parvidens)
• Palmer's chipmunk (Neotamias palmeri)
• Idaho ground squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus)
• Townsend's ground squirrel (Urocitellus townsendii)
• Washington ground squirrel (Urocitellus washingtoni)
• Mohave ground squirrel (Xerospermophilus mohavensis)

Sea Cows (Sirenia)

These gentle giants live in water and eat plants.

• Steller's sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas) - This huge animal has been extinct since the 1760s.
• West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) - Includes the Florida manatee and Antillean manatee.

See also

• List of mammals of the United States