List of mammals of New England facts for kids

New England states are indicated in red

New England is a special region in the northeastern United States. It includes the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. This area is home to many different types of mammals. Scientists have found 7 main groups (orders), 17 families, 40 genera, and 60 species of mammals living here. If we also count animals that once lived here, were brought here by people, or just visit sometimes, the numbers go up to 8 orders, 26 families, 67 genera, and 105 species!

The kinds of mammals you find in New England today are largely because of the Last Glacial Maximum. This was a time when a huge ice sheet covered almost all of New England. After the ice melted, animals slowly moved back into the area, mostly from warmer places in the south. Because of this, some animal groups, like chipmunks and ground squirrels, have fewer species in New England compared to other parts of North America. For example, New England has only one species of each, while areas west of the Rocky Mountains have many more.

New England has different climates. The northern states (Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont) have cooler summers and long, cold winters. The southern states (Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island) have hotter summers and cold winters. Most of the region gets a lot of rain, and the northern parts get a lot of snow. Many mammals in New England have special ways to deal with these sometimes very cold winter conditions.

Meet the Mammals of New England

This list shows all the different mammals that live or have lived in New England.

Marsupials

Marsupials are mammals that often carry their young in a pouch.

Opossums

Virginia opossum

• Virginia opossum, Didelphis virginiana
  • You can find these in southern Maine, southern Vermont, southern New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

Insectivores

These mammals mostly eat insects.

Shrews

Masked shrew

• Northern short-tailed shrew, Blarina brevicauda
  • They live in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• North American least shrew, Cryptotis parva
  • Found in southern Connecticut.
• Masked shrew, Sorex cinereus
  • Lives in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Long-tailed shrew, Sorex dispar
  • Found in northwestern Maine, most of New Hampshire, most of Vermont, western Massachusetts, and western Connecticut.
• Smoky shrew, Sorex fumeus
  • Lives in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Pygmy shrew, Sorex hoyi
  • Found in most of Maine, central and northern New Hampshire, most of Vermont, and extreme western Massachusetts.
• American water shrew, Sorex palustris
  • Lives in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

Moles

Moles are known for digging tunnels underground.

• Hairy-tailed mole, Parascalops breweri
  • Found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, northern and western Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Eastern mole, Scalopus aquaticus
  • Lives in central and southern Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Star-nosed mole, Condylura cristata
  • Found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

Bats

Bats are the only mammals that can truly fly!

Vesper bats

• Eastern small-footed bat, Myotis leibii
  • Lives in central Maine, central New Hampshire, central Vermont, and western Massachusetts.
  • Status: This bat is endangered in New Hampshire and threatened in Vermont.
• Little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus
  • Found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Northern long-eared bat, Myotis septentrionalis
  • Lives in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Indiana bat, Myotis sodalis
  • Found in southeastern and central New Hampshire, southern and central Vermont, western and central Massachusetts, most of Connecticut, and northeastern Rhode Island.
  • Status: This bat is federally endangered.
• Silver-haired bat, Lasionycteris noctivagans
  • In summer, they are in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, northern and central Massachusetts. In winter, they are in southeastern Connecticut.
• Eastern pipistrelle, Perimyotis subflavus
  • Lives in southern New Hampshire, most of Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus
  • Found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Eastern red bat, Lasiurus borealis
  • In summer, they are in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Hoary bat, Lasiurus cinereus
  • In summer, mostly females are found in northern Maine, most of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts.

Lagomorphs

This group includes rabbits and hares.

Rabbits and hares

• Snowshoe hare, Lepus americanus
  • Lives in most of Maine, most of New Hampshire, Vermont, most of Massachusetts, northern Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
• Black-tailed jackrabbit, Lepus californicus
  • This species was introduced by humans and lives on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts.
• European hare, Lepus europaeus
  • This species was introduced by humans and lives in the southwesternmost corner of Massachusetts and central and western Connecticut. It's not clear if they are still there.
• Eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus
  • Found in the southern tip of Maine, southern New Hampshire, most of Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• New England cottontail, Sylvilagus transitionalis
  • Lives in southeast Maine, southwest and Cape Cod Massachusetts, central New Hampshire, western and eastern Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus
  • This species was introduced by humans and lives wild on the Boston Harbor Islands, Massachusetts.

Rodents

Rodents are known for their strong, continuously growing front teeth.

Squirrels, chipmunks, and marmots

• Eastern chipmunk, Tamias striatus
  • Found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Woodchuck, Marmota monax
  • Lives in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Eastern gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis
  • Found in central and southern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Fox squirrel, Sciurus niger
  • This species used to live in western Connecticut and might sometimes be seen in western Vermont and western Massachusetts.
• American red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
  • Lives in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Northern flying squirrel, Glaucomys sabrinus
  • Found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, western and central Massachusetts, and northwestern Connecticut.
• Southern flying squirrel, Glaucomys volans
  • Lives in southern Maine, most of New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

Beavers

• American beaver, Castor canadensis
  • Found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

Jumping mice

• Meadow jumping mouse, Zapus hudsonius
  • Lives in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Woodland jumping mouse, Napaeozapus insignis
  • Found in Maine, most of New Hampshire, Vermont, western Massachusetts, and northwestern Connecticut.

New World rats and mice, voles, lemmings, and muskrats

• White-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus
  • Lives in southern and central Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Allegheny woodrat, Neotoma magister
  • This animal used to live in western Connecticut and southwest Massachusetts but is now gone from New England.
• Deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus
  • Found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, northern Connecticut, and northern Rhode Island.
• Southern red-backed vole, Myodes gapperi
  • Lives in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, northern Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Rock vole, Microtus chrotorrhinus
  • Found in northern Maine, northern New Hampshire, and northern Vermont.
• Beach vole, Microtus breweri
  • Lives on Muskeget Island, Massachusetts.
• Meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus
  • Found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Woodland vole, Microtus pinetorum
  • Lives in southernmost Maine, southern New Hampshire, southern Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus
  • Found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Northern bog lemming, Synaptomys borealis
  • Lives in northern and eastern Maine, northern New Hampshire, and extreme northeastern Vermont.
  • Status: This lemming is threatened in Maine.
• Southern bog lemming, Synaptomys cooperi
  • Found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

Old World rats and mice

These species were introduced to New England by humans.

• Brown rat, Rattus norvegicus
  • Found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Black rat, Rattus rattus
  • Lives in extreme southern Maine, southeastern New Hampshire, eastern Massachusetts, most of Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• House mouse, Mus musculus
  • Found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

Porcupines

• North American porcupine, Erethizon dorsatum
  • Lives in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, western and central Massachusetts, and northwestern Connecticut.

Carnivores

Carnivores are animals that primarily eat meat.

Dogs

• Eastern coyote, Canis latrans
  • Found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Eastern wolf, Canis lycaon
  • This wolf used to live throughout Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island but is now gone from New England.
  • Status: It was federally endangered.
• Gray fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus
  • Lives in southern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, most of Massachusetts, most of Connecticut, and northern Rhode Island.
• Red fox, Vulpes vulpes
  • Found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

Bears

• American black bear, Ursus americanus
  • Lives in northern and central Maine, most of New Hampshire, most of Vermont, western and central Massachusetts, and throughout Connecticut.

Seals

These are coastal animals, meaning they live near the ocean.

• Harbor seal, Phoca vitulina
• Gray seal, Halichoerus grypus
• Bearded seal, Erignathus barbatus
  • This seal is an extremely rare visitor to the coast.
• Ringed seal, Pusa hispida
  • This seal is an uncommon visitor to the coast.
• Harp seal, Pagophilus groenlandicus
  • This seal is an occasional visitor to the coast.
• Hooded seal, Cystophora cristata
  • This seal is an uncommon visitor to the coast.

Walrus

• Walrus, Odobenus rosmarus
  • This animal is an extremely rare visitor to the coast, and there haven't been any recent sightings.

Raccoons

• Common raccoon, Procyon lotor
  • Found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

Weasels, minks, martens, fishers, and otters

• Wolverine, Gulo gulo
  • This animal used to live in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and western Massachusetts but is now gone from New England.
• River otter, Lontra canadensis
  • Lives in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, northern Connecticut, and northern Rhode Island.
• American marten, Martes americana
  • Found in northern Maine, northern New Hampshire, and northeast Vermont. It used to live in many more parts of New England.
  • Status: It is endangered in Vermont and threatened in New Hampshire.
• American ermine, Mustela richardsonii
  • Lives in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Long-tailed weasel, Neogale frenata
  • Found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Sea mink, Neogale macrodon
  • This animal used to live along the coasts of Massachusetts and eastern Maine but is now extinct.
• American mink, Neogale vison
  • Lives in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Fisher, Pekania pennanti
  • Found in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, most of Vermont, and most of Massachusetts. It used to live in more areas.

Skunks

• Striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis
  • Lives in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

Cats

• Canada lynx, Lynx canadensis
  • Found in northern Maine, northern New Hampshire, and northern Vermont. It used to live in Massachusetts and throughout New England.
  • Status: It is endangered in New Hampshire and Vermont.
• Bobcat, Lynx rufus
  • Lives in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, and northern Massachusetts.
  • Status: It is threatened in Rhode Island.
• Cougar, Puma concolor
  • This large cat used to live throughout Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island but is now gone from New England.
  • Status: The Eastern cougar population is extinct.

Even-toed ungulates and whales

This group includes hoofed animals like deer and large ocean mammals.

Deer and moose

• Fallow deer, Dama dama
  • This species was introduced by humans and lives in Dukes County, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
• Eastern elk, Cervus canadensis canadensis
  • This elk used to live in southern Vermont, western Massachusetts, and northwestern Connecticut, and sometimes in Rhode Island, but is now gone from New England.
• White-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus
  • Found in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
• Moose, Alces alces
  • Lives in Maine, most of New Hampshire, Vermont, northwest Connecticut, northernmost Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
• Caribou, Rangifer tarandus
  • This animal used to live in Maine, northern New Hampshire, northern Vermont, and Massachusetts but is now gone from New England.

Bovids

• American bison, Bison bison
  • This large animal used to live in Massachusetts but is now gone from New England.

Right whales

These are large whales found in coastal waters.

• North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis
• Bowhead whale, Balaena mysticetus
  • Occasionally seen in winter.

Rorquals

These are baleen whales with throat grooves.

• Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
• Minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata
• Sei whale, Balaeonoptera borealis
• Fin whale, Balaeonoptera physalus
• Blue whale, Balaeonoptera musculus

Sperm whales

These whales are known for their large heads.

• Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus
• Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps
• Dwarf sperm whale, Kogia sima

Beaked whales

These whales have unique beaks.

• Northern bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus
• Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris
• True's beaked whale, Mesoplodon mirus
• Gervais' beaked whale, Mesoplodon europaeus
• Sowerby's beaked whale, Mesoplodon bidens
• Blainville's beaked whale, Mesoplodon densirostris

Beluga and Narwhal

• Beluga, Delphinapterus leucus
  • This whale is an occasional visitor to the coast.

Dolphins

• White-beaked dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris
• Atlantic white-sided dolphin, Leucopleurus acutus
• Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus
• Atlantic spotted dolphin, Stenella frontalis
  • This dolphin is an occasional visitor to the coast.
• Clymene dolphin, Stenella clymene
  • This dolphin is an occasional visitor to the coast.
• Spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris
  • This dolphin is an occasional visitor to the coast.
• Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba
  • This dolphin is an occasional visitor to the open ocean.
• Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis
• Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus
• Killer whale, Orcinus orca
• Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas
• Short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus

Porpoises

• Harbor porpoise, Phocoena phocoena

See also

• List of mammals in Connecticut
• Fauna of Connecticut
• List of Massachusetts mammals
• List of North American mammals
• List of regional mammals lists