Threatened mammals of Europe facts for kids
The list below contains threatened mammals that dwell in or migrate to any region in Europe, the East Atlantic Ocean, and any nearby islands of the Atlantic Ocean. This includes mammals that are found in the East Atlantic Ocean (Azores), Iceland, the Adriatic Sea, the Sea of Azov, the Black and Caspian Sea, Corsica, Cyprus, Palearctic, Russia, Eurasia, North African Coast, the Mediterranean Sea and islands located in the Mediterranean Sea, and the islands of Spain (Canary, Balearic). The list below was compiled from data on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species (IUCN). The International Union for Conservation of Nature identifies species in need of attention before approaching extinction and works to increase prevention of extinction. The list below includes vulnerable (VU), endangered (EN), critically endangered (CR), and recently extinct (EX) species.
Scientific name | Common name(s) | Distribution | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Ammotragus lervia | Aoudad, Barbary sheep, uaddan | Native:
Algeria; Chad; Egypt; Libya; Mali; Mauritania; Morocco; Niger; Sudan; Tunisia Introduced: Mexico; Spain (Canary Is.); United States Presence uncertain: Western Sahara |
Vulnerable |
Arvicola sapidus | Southwestern water vole | France; Portugal; Spain | Vulnerable |
Balaenoptera borealis | Sei whale | Angola; Argentina; Australia; Bahamas; Bermuda; Brazil; Canada; Cape Verde; Chile; Congo; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Cuba; Dominican Republic; Falkland Islands; Faroe Islands; French Southern Territories; Gibraltar; Greenland; Haiti; Iceland; Ireland; Japan; Kenya; Korea, Democratic People's Republic of; Korea, Republic of; Madagascar; Mauritania; Mexico; Morocco; Namibia; New Zealand; Northern Mariana Islands; Norway; Peru; Portugal; Réunion; Russian Federation; Saint Pierre and Miquelon; South Africa; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Spain; Turks and Caicos Islands; United Kingdom; United States; Uruguay; Western Sahara | Endangered |
Balaenoptera musculus | Blue whale | Angola; Argentina; Australia; Bahamas; Bangladesh; Benin; Bermuda; Brazil; Cameroon; Canada; Cape Verde; Chile; China; Cocos (Keeling) Islands; Colombia; Comoros; Cook Islands; Costa Rica; Côte d'Ivoire; Djibouti; Ecuador; El Salvador; Equatorial Guinea; Eritrea; Falkland Islands; Faroe Islands; France; French Southern Territories; Gabon; Ghana; Gibraltar; Greece; Greenland; Grenada; Guatemala; Iceland; India; Indonesia; Iran; Iraq; Ireland; Japan; Kenya; Madagascar; Malaysia; Maldives; Marshall Islands; Mauritania; Mauritius; Mexico; Morocco; Mozambique; Myanmar; Namibia; New Caledonia; New Zealand; Nicaragua; Nigeria; Northern Mariana Islands; Norway; Oman; Pakistan; Palau; Panama; Peru; Philippines; Pitcairn; Portugal; Réunion; Russian Federation; Saint Helena (Tristan da Cunha); Saint Pierre and Miquelon; São Tomé and Príncipe; Senegal; Seychelles; Somalia; South Africa; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Spain; Sri Lanka; Taiwan; Tanzania; Thailand; Timor-Leste; Togo; United Kingdom; United States; Uruguay; Western Sahara; Yemen | Endangered |
Balaenoptera physalus | Fin whale | Algeria; Angola; Argentina; Australia; Belgium; Bermuda; Brazil; Canada; Chile; China; Congo; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Cyprus; Denmark; Egypt; Falkland Islands (Malvinas); Faroe Islands; Fiji; France; French Polynesia; French Southern Territories; Germany; Gibraltar; Greece; Greenland; Iceland; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Japan; Korea, Democratic People's Republic of; Korea, Republic of; Lebanon; Libya; Madagascar; Malta; Mexico; Monaco; Morocco; Mozambique; Namibia; Netherlands; New Caledonia; New Zealand; Niue; Northern Mariana Islands; Norway; Peru; Philippines; Pitcairn; Portugal; Réunion; Russian Federation; Saint Pierre and Miquelon; South Africa; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Spain; Sweden; Syria; Taiwan; Togo; Tunisia; Turkey; Tuvalu; United Kingdom; United States; Uruguay; Vanuatu; Western Sahara | Endangered |
Bison bonasus | European bison | Native:
Belarus; Lithuania; Poland; Romania; Russian Federation; Slovakia; Ukraine Introduced: Kyrgyzstan |
Vulnerable |
Bos primigenius primigenius | Aurochs | Poland | Extinct |
Crocidura canariensis | Canarian shrew | Spain (Canary Is.) | Endangered |
Crocidura zimmermanni | Cretan white-toothed shrew | Greece (Kriti) | Vulnerable |
Cystophora cristata | Hooded seal | Native:
Canada; Greenland; Iceland; Norway; United States Vagrant: Argentina; Bahamas; Bermuda; Denmark; Faroe Islands; France; Germany; Ireland; Portugal; Puerto Rico; Russian Federation; Spain; Svalbard and Jan Mayen; Turks and Caicos Islands; United Kingdom |
Vulnerable |
Dinaromys bogdanovi | Native:
Bosnia and Herzegovina; Croatia; Macedonia, the Republic of; Montenegro; Serbia Presence uncertain: Albania; Greece |
Vulnerable | |
Equus ferus przewalskii | Przewalski's horse | Regionally extinct:
Belarus; China; Germany; Kazakhstan; Lithuania; Poland; Russian Federation; Ukraine Reintroduced: Mongolia |
Endangered |
Eubalaena glacialis | North Atlantic right whale | Native:
Bahamas; Bermuda; Canada; United States Possibly extinct: Belgium; Faroe Islands; France; Germany; Ireland; Morocco; Netherlands; Norway; Portugal (Azores, Madeira, mainland); Spain (Canary Is., mainland); United Kingdom; Western Sahara Vagrant: Greenland; Iceland |
Endangered |
Galemys pyrenaicus | Pyrenean desman | Andorra; France; Portugal; Spain | Vulnerable |
Hydropotes inermis | Chinese water deer | Native:
China; Korea, Democratic People's Republic of; Korea, Republic of Introduced: France; United Kingdom |
Vulnerable |
Lepus castroviejoi | Broom hare | Spain | Vulnerable |
Lepus corsicanus | Corsican hare | Native:
Italy (Sicilia) Presence uncertain: France (Corse) |
Vulnerable |
Lynx pardinus | Iberian lynx | Native:
Spain Presence uncertain: Portugal |
Endangered |
Macaca sylvanus | Barbary macaque | Native:
Algeria; Morocco Regionally extinct: Tunisia Introduced: Gibraltar |
Endangered |
Microtus bavaricus | Bavarian pine vole | Native:
Austria Regionally extinct: Germany |
Critically endangered |
Monachus monachus | Mediterranean monk seal | Native:
Algeria; Greece; Mauritania; Portugal (Azores - Regionally Extinct, Madeira - Regionally Extinct, Portugal (mainland) - Regionally Extinct); Turkey; Western Sahara Possibly extinct: Croatia; Gambia; Libya; Montenegro; Romania; Spain (Baleares, Canary Is. - Native, Spain (mainland) - Regionally Extinct); Tunisia Regionally extinct: Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Cape Verde; Cyprus; Egypt; France (Corse, mainland); Georgia; Israel; Italy (mainland, Sardegna, Sicilia); Lebanon; Malta; Morocco; Russian Federation; Senegal; Slovenia; Syria; Ukraine Presence uncertain: Afghanistan |
Endangered |
Mustela lutreola | European mink | Native:
France; Romania; Russian Federation; Spain; Ukraine Regionally extinct: Austria; Belarus; Bulgaria; Croatia; Czech Republic; Estonia; Finland; Georgia; Germany; Hungary; Kazakhstan; Latvia; Lithuania; Moldova; Montenegro; Netherlands; Poland; Portugal; Serbia; Slovakia; Switzerland |
Critically endangered |
Myomimus roachi | Roach's mouse-tailed dormouse | Bulgaria; Greece; Turkey | Vulnerable |
Myotis capaccinii | Long-fingered bat | Native:
Albania; Algeria; Andorra; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; France (Corse); Greece (Kriti); Holy See (Vatican City State); Iran; Iraq; Israel; Italy (Sardegna, Sicilia); Jordan; Lebanon; Macedonia, the Republic of; Montenegro; Morocco; Romania; Serbia; Slovenia; Spain (Baleares); Syria; Turkey Regionally extinct: Switzerland |
Vulnerable |
Nyctalus azoreum | Azores noctule | Native:
Albania; Algeria; Angola; Antarctica; Antigua and Barbuda; Argentina; Australia; Bahamas; Bangladesh; Barbados; Belgium; Belize; Benin; Brazil; Brunei Darussalam; Cameroon; Canada; Cape Verde; Chile; China; Colombia; Comoros; Costa Rica; Croatia; Cyprus; Denmark; Djibouti; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; Egypt; El Salvador; Equatorial Guinea; Falkland Islands (Malvinas); Faroe Islands; Fiji; France; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Gibraltar; Greece; Greenland; Grenada; Guatemala; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Guyana; Haiti; Honduras; Iceland; India; Indonesia; Iran; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Jamaica; Japan; Kenya; Kiribati; Korea, Democratic People's Republic of; Korea, Republic of; Lebanon; Liberia; Libya; Madagascar; Malaysia; Maldives; Malta; Marshall Islands; Mauritania; Mauritius; Mexico; Micronesia, Federated States of; Monaco; Morocco; Mozambique; Namibia; Nauru; Netherlands; Netherlands Antilles; New Zealand; Nicaragua; Nigeria; Niue; Norway; Oman; Pakistan; Palau; Panama; Papua New Guinea; Peru; Philippines; Portugal; Russian Federation; Saint Helena; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Samoa; São Tomé and Príncipe; Senegal; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Slovenia; Solomon Islands; Somalia; South Africa; Spain; Sri Lanka; Suriname; Syria; Taiwan; Tanzania; Thailand; Timor-Leste; Togo; Tonga; Trinidad and Tobago; Tunisia; Turkey; Tuvalu; United Kingdom; United States; Uruguay; Vanuatu; Venezuela; Viet Nam; Yemen Presence uncertain: American Samoa; Anguilla; Aruba; Bermuda; Bosnia and Herzegovina; British Indian Ocean Territory; Cambodia; Cayman Islands; Christmas Island; Cocos (Keeling) Islands; Congo; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Cook Islands; Côte d'Ivoire; Eritrea; French Guiana; French Polynesia; French Southern Territories; Germany; Guadeloupe; Guam; Hong Kong; Martinique; Mayotte; Montenegro; Montserrat; Myanmar; New Caledonia; Norfolk Island; Northern Mariana Islands; Palestinian Territory; Pitcairn; Puerto Rico; Qatar; Réunion; Saint Pierre and Miquelon; Saudi Arabia; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Sudan; Sweden; Tokelau; Turks and Caicos Islands; United Arab Emirates; United States Minor Outlying Islands; Virgin Islands, British; Virgin Islands, U.S.; Wallis and Futuna; Western Sahara |
Endangered |
Physeter macrocephalus | Sperm whale | Native:
Albania; Algeria; Angola; Antarctica; Antigua and Barbuda; Argentina; Australia; Bahamas; Bangladesh; Barbados; Belgium; Belize; Benin; Brazil; Brunei Darussalam; Cameroon; Canada; Cape Verde; Chile; China; Colombia; Comoros; Costa Rica; Croatia; Cyprus; Denmark; Djibouti; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; Egypt; El Salvador; Equatorial Guinea; Falkland Islands; Faroe Islands; Fiji; France; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Gibraltar; Greece; Greenland; Grenada; Guatemala; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Guyana; Haiti; Honduras; Iceland; India; Indonesia; Iran; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Jamaica; Japan; Kenya; Kiribati; Korea, Democratic People's Republic of; Korea, Republic of; Lebanon; Liberia; Libya; Madagascar; Malaysia; Maldives; Malta; Marshall Islands; Mauritania; Mauritius; Mexico; Micronesia, Federated States of; Monaco; Morocco; Mozambique; Namibia; Nauru; Netherlands; Netherlands Antilles; New Zealand; Nicaragua; Nigeria; Niue; Norway; Oman; Pakistan; Palau; Panama; Papua New Guinea; Peru; Philippines; Portugal; Russian Federation; Saint Helena; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Samoa; São Tomé and Príncipe; Senegal; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Slovenia; Solomon Islands; Somalia; South Africa; Spain; Sri Lanka; Suriname; Syria; Taiwan; Tanzania; Thailand; Timor-Leste; Togo; Tonga; Trinidad and Tobago; Tunisia; Turkey; Tuvalu; United Kingdom; United States; Uruguay; Vanuatu; Venezuela; Viet Nam; Yemen Presence uncertain: American Samoa; Anguilla; Aruba; Bermuda; Bosnia and Herzegovina; British Indian Ocean Territory; Cambodia; Cayman Islands; Christmas Island; Cocos (Keeling) Islands; Congo; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Cook Islands; Côte d'Ivoire; Eritrea; French Guiana; French Polynesia; French Southern Territories; Germany; Guadeloupe; Guam; Hong Kong; Martinique; Mayotte; Montenegro; Montserrat; Myanmar; New Caledonia; Norfolk Island; Northern Mariana Islands; Palestinian Territory; Pitcairn; Puerto Rico; Qatar; Réunion; Saint Pierre and Miquelon; Saudi Arabia; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Sudan; Sweden; Tokelau; Turks and Caicos Islands; United Arab Emirates; United States Minor Outlying Islands; Virgin Islands, British; Virgin Islands, U.S.; Wallis and Futuna; Western Sahara |
Vulnerable |
Pipistrellus maderensis | Madeira pipistrelle | Portugal (Azores - Presence Uncertain, Madeira); Spain (Canary Is.) | Endangered |
Plecotus sardus | Sardinian long-eared bat | Italy (Sardegna) | Vulnerable |
Plecotus teneriffae | Tenerife long-eared bat | Spain (Canary Is.) | Endangered |
Prolagus sardus | Sardinian pika | France (Corse); Italy (Sardegna) | Extinct |
Rhinolophus mehelyi | Mehely's horseshoe bat | Native:
Afghanistan; Algeria; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Cyprus; Egypt; Georgia; Gibraltar; Greece; Iran; Iraq; Israel; Italy (Sardegna, Sicilia); Jordan; Libya; Macedonia, the Republic of; Moldova; Montenegro; Morocco; Palestinian Territory; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovenia; Spain; Syria; Tunisia; Turkey Regionally extinct: Croatia Presence uncertain: France |
Vulnerable |
Saiga tatarica | Mongolian saiga | Native:
Kazakhstan; Mongolia; Russian Federation; Turkmenistan; Uzbekistan Regionally extinct: China; Moldova; Poland; Ukraine |
Critically endangered |
Spermophilus citellus | European ground squirrel | Native:
Austria; Bulgaria; Czech Republic; Greece; Hungary; Macedonia, the Republic of; Moldova; Romania; Serbia (Kosovo, Serbia); Slovakia; Turkey; Ukraine Regionally extinct: Croatia; Germany Reintroduced: Poland |
Vulnerable |
Ursus maritimus | Polar bear | Native:
Canada (Labrador, Manitoba, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Ontario, Québec, Yukon); Greenland; Norway; Russian Federation (Krasnoyarsk, North European Russia, West Siberia, Yakutiya); Svalbard and Jan Mayen; United States (Alaska) Presence uncertain: Iceland |
Vulnerable |
Vormela peregusna | European marbled polecat | Native:
Afghanistan; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Bulgaria; China; Georgia; Greece; Iran; Iraq; Israel; Kazakhstan; Lebanon; Macedonia, the Republic of; Mongolia; Montenegro; Pakistan; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Syria; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Ukraine; Uzbekistan |
Vulnerable |
See also
- Endangered plants of Europe
- IUCN Red List