List of mammals of California
This is a list of mammals in California, including both current and recently historical inhabitants.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife monitors certain species and subspecies of special concern. These are mammals whose populations may be locally threatened, but which are excluded from federal and international conservation lists. Taxa of special concern in California are noted below, as are endemic, introduced, harvest, and vagrant species.
There are 221 mammal species listed, including 181 terrestrial and 40 marine.
Opossums
Order: DidelphimorphiaFamily: Didelphidae
One species of opossum occurs in California.
Eulipotyphlans
Order: EulipotyphlaFamily: Soricidae
Thirteen species of shrews occur in California.
Order: Eulipotyphla
Family: Talpidae
Four species of moles occur in California.
- Shrew-mole, Neurotrichus gibbsii
- Broad-footed mole, Scapanus latimanus
- * Alameda Island mole, S. latimanus parvus
- Coast mole, Scapanus orarius
- Townsend's mole, Scapanus townsendii
Bats
Family: Phyllostomidae
Four species of leaf-nosed bats occur in California.
- Mexican long-tongued bat, Choeronycteris mexicana
- Southern long-nosed bat, Leptonycteris curasoae
- Lesser long-nosed bat, Leptonycteris yerbabuenae
- California leaf-nosed bat, Macrotus californicus
Family: Vespertilionidae
Nineteen species of vesper bats occur in California.
- Pallid bat, Antrozous pallidus
- Silver-haired bat, Lasionycteris noctivagans
- California myotis, Myotis californicus
- Western small-footed myotis, Myotis ciliolabrum
- Long-eared myotis, Myotis evotis
- Little brown myotis, Myotis lucifugus
- Arizona myotis, Myotis occultus
- Fringed myotis, Myotis thysanodes
- Cave myotis, Myotis velifer
- Long-legged myotis, Myotis volans
- Yuma myotis, Myotis yumanensis
- Townsend's big-eared bat, Corynorhinus townsendii
- * Pale big-eared bat, C. townsendii pallescens
- Big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus
- Spotted bat, Euderma maculatum
- Allen's big-eared bat, Idionycteris phyllotis
- Western red bat, Lasiurus blossevillii
- Hoary bat, Aeorestes cinereus
- Western yellow bat, Lasiurus xanthinus
- Western pipistrelle, Parastrellus hesperus
Family: Molossidae
Four species of free-tailed bats occur in California.
- Western mastiff bat, Eumops perotis
- * California mastiff bat, E. perotis californicus
- Pocketed free-tailed bat, Nyctinomops femorosaccus
- Big free-tailed bat, Nyctinomops macrotis
- Brazilian free-tailed bat, Tadarida brasiliensis
Lagomorphs
Family: Ochotonidae
One species of pika occurs in California.
- American pika, Ochotona princeps
Family: Leporidae
Eight species of rabbits and hares occur in California.
- Pygmy rabbit, Brachylagus idahoensis
- Snowshoe hare, Lepus americanus
- * Oregon snowshoe hare, L. americanus klamathensis
- * Sierra Nevada snowshoe hare, L. americanus tahoensis
- Black-tailed jackrabbit, Lepus californicus
- * San Diego black-tailed jackrabbit, L. californicus bennettii
- White-tailed jackrabbit, Lepus townsendii
- European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus
- Desert cottontail, Sylvilagus audubonii
- Brush rabbit, Sylvilagus bachmani
- * Riparian brush rabbit, S. bachmani riparius
- Mountain cottontail, Sylvilagus nuttallii
Rodents
Family: Aplodontiidae
One species of mountain beaver occurs in California.
- Mountain beaver, Aplodontia rufa
- * Sierra Nevada mountain beaver, A. rufa californica
- * Point Arena mountain beaver, A. rufa nigra
- * Point Reyes mountain beaver, A. rufa phaea
Family: Sciuridae
Twenty-nine species of squirrels, chipmunks, and marmots occur in California.
Subfamily Sciurinae
- Humboldt's flying squirrel, Glaucomys oregonensis
- * San Bernardino flying squirrel, G. oregonensis californicus
- Eastern gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis
- Western gray squirrel, Sciurus griseus
- Eastern fox squirrel, Sciurus niger
- Douglas' squirrel, Tamiasciurus douglasii
- White-tailed antelope ground squirrel, Ammospermophilus leucurus
- Nelson's antelope ground squirrel, Ammospermophilus nelsoni
- Yellow-bellied marmot, Marmota flaviventris
- California ground squirrel, Spermophilus beecheyi
- Belding's ground squirrel, Spermophilus beldingi
- Golden-mantled ground squirrel, Spermophilus lateralis
- Mohave ground squirrel, Spermophilus mohavensis
- Round-tailed ground squirrel, Spermophilus tereticaudus
- * Palm Springs round-tailed ground squirrel, S. tereticaudus chlorus
- Townsend's ground squirrel, Spermophilus townsendii
- Rock squirrel, Spermophilus variegatus
- Alpine chipmunk, Tamias alpinus
- Yellow-pine chipmunk, Tamias amoenus
- Merriam's chipmunk, Tamias merriami
- Least chipmunk, Tamias minimus
- California chipmunk, Tamias obscurus
- Yellow-cheeked chipmunk, Tamias ochrogenys
- Panamint chipmunk, Tamias panamintinus
- Long-eared chipmunk, Tamias quadrimaculatus
- Allen's chipmunk, Tamias senex
- Siskiyou chipmunk, Tamias siskiyou
- Sonoma chipmunk, Tamias sonomae
- Lodgepole chipmunk, Tamias speciosus
- Uinta chipmunk, Tamias umbrinus
Family: Castoridae
One species of beaver occurs in California.
- American beaver, Castor canadensis
Family: Geomyidae
Five species of pocket gophers occur in California.
- Botta's pocket gopher, Thomomys bottae
- Western pocket gopher, Thomomys mazama
- Mountain pocket gopher, Thomomys monticola
- Northern pocket gopher, Thomomys talpoides
- Townsend's pocket gopher, Thomomys townsendii
Family: Heteromyidae
Twenty-six species of pocket mice and kangaroo rats occur in California.
Subfamily Dipodomyinae
- Pacific kangaroo rat, Dipodomys agilis
- California kangaroo rat, Dipodomys californicus
- * Marysville California kangaroo rat, D. californicus eximus
- Desert kangaroo rat, Dipodomys deserti
- Big-eared kangaroo rat, Dipodomys elephantinus
- Heermann's kangaroo rat, Dipodomys heermanni
- Giant kangaroo rat, Dipodomys ingens
- Merriam's kangaroo rat, Dipodomys merriami
- * San Bernardino Merriam's kangaroo rat, D. merriami parvus
- Chisel-toothed kangaroo rat, Dipodomys microps]
- Fresno kangaroo rat, Dipodomys nitratoides
- * Short-nosed kangaroo rat, D. nitratoides brevinasus
- * Tipton kangaroo rat, D. nitratoides nitratoides
- Ord's kangaroo rat, Dipodomys ordii
- Panamint kangaroo rat, Dipodomys panamintinus
- San Diego kangaroo rat, Dipodomys simulans
- Stephens' kangaroo rat, Dipodomys stephensi
- Narrow-faced kangaroo rat, Dipodomys venustus
- Dark kangaroo mouse, Microdipodops megacephalus
- Pale kangaroo mouse, Microdipodops pallidus
- Bailey's pocket mouse, Chaetodipus baileyi
- California pocket mouse, Chaetodipus californicus
- * Dulzura pocket mouse, C. californicus femoralis
- San Diego pocket mouse, Chaetodipus fallax
- * Northwestern San Diego pocket mouse, C. fallax fallax
- * Pallid San Diego pocket mouse, C. fallax pallidus
- Long-tailed pocket mouse, Chaetodipus formosus
- Desert pocket mouse, Chaetodipus penicillatus
- Spiny pocket mouse, Chaetodipus spinatus
- White-eared pocket mouse, Perognathus alticola
- * White-eared pocket mouse, P. alticola alticola
- * Tehachapi pocket mouse, P. alticola inexpectatus
- San Joaquin pocket mouse, Perognathus inornatus
- * Salinas pocket mouse, P. inornatus psammophilus
- Little pocket mouse, Perognathus longimembris
- * Palm Springs pocket mouse, P. longimembris bangsi
- * Los Angeles pocket mouse, P. longimembris brevinasus
- * Jacumba pocket mouse, P. longimembris internationalis
- * Pacific pocket mouse, P. longimembris pacificus
- Great Basin pocket mouse, Perognathus parvus
Family: Cricetidae
Twenty-nine species of voles and New World rats and mice occur in California.
Subfamily Arvicolinae
- White-footed vole, Arborimus albipes
- Sonoma tree vole, Arborimus pomo
- Western red-backed vole, Clethrionomys californicus
- Sagebrush vole, Lemmiscus curtatus
- California vole, Microtus californicus
- * Monterey vole, M. californicus halophilus
- * Mojave River vole, M. californicus mohavensis
- * San Pablo vole, M. californicus sanpabloensis
- * Amargosa vole, M. californicus scirpensis
- * South coast marsh vole, M. californicus stephensi
- * Owens Valley vole, M. californicus vallicola
- Long-tailed vole, Microtus longicaudus
- Montane vole, Microtus montanus
- Creeping vole, Microtus oregoni
- Townsend's vole, Microtus townsendii
- Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus
- Heather vole, Phenacomys intermedius
- White-throated woodrat, Neotoma albigula
- Bushy-tailed woodrat, Neotoma cinerea
- Dusky-footed woodrat, Neotoma fuscipes
- Desert woodrat, Neotoma lepida
- Large-eared woodrat, Neotoma macrotis
- Northern grasshopper mouse, Onychomys leucogaster
- Southern grasshopper mouse, Onychomys torridus
- Brush mouse, Peromyscus boylii
- California mouse, Peromyscus californicus
- Canyon mouse, Peromyscus crinitus
- Cactus mouse, Peromyscus eremicus
- Northern Baja deer mouse, Peromyscus fraterculus
- Deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus
- Pinyon mouse, Peromyscus truei
- Salt marsh harvest mouse, Reithrodontomys raviventris
- Western harvest mouse, Reithrodontomys megalotis
- Arizona cotton rat, Sigmodon arizonae
- Hispid cotton rat, Sigmodon hispidus
Family: Muridae
Three species of Old World rats and mice occur in California.
- House mouse, Mus musculus
- Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus
- Black rat, Rattus rattus
Family: Dipodidae
Two species of jumping mice occur in California.
- Western jumping mouse, Zapus princeps
- Pacific jumping mouse, Zapus trinotatus
Family: Erethizontidae
One species of porcupine occurs in California.
- Common porcupine, Erethizon dorsatum
Whales, dolphins and porpoises
Family: Eschrichtiidae
One species of gray whale occurs in California's waters.
- Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Family: Balaenopteridae
Six species of rorquals occur in California's waters.
- Minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata
- Bryde's whale, Balaenoptera cf. brydei
- Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis
- Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
- Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus
- Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Family: Balaenidae
One species of right whale occurs in California's waters.
- North Pacific right whale, Eubalaena japonica
Family: Delphinidae
Eleven species of dolphins occur in California's waters.
- Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis
- Long-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus capensis
- Short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus
- Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus
- Pacific white-sided dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens
- Northern right whale dolphin, Lissodelphis borealis
- Killer whale, Orcinus orca
- False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens
- Pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata
- Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba
- Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis
- Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus
Family: Phocoenidae
Two species of porpoises occur in California's waters.
- Dall's porpoise, Phocoenoides dalli
- Harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena
Family: Kogiidae
Two species of small sperm whales occur in California's waters.
- Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps
- Dwarf sperm whale, Kogia sima
Family: Physeteridae
One species of sperm whale occur in California's waters.
- Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus
Family: Ziphiidae
Eight species of beaked whales occur in California's waters.
- Giant beaked whale, Berardius bairdii
- Hubbs' beaked whale, Mesoplodon carlhubbsi
- Blainville's beaked whale, Mesoplodon densirostris
- Ginkgo-toothed beaked whale, Mesoplodon ginkgodens
- Perrin's beaked whale, Mesoplodon perrini
- Pygmy beaked whale, Mesoplodon peruvianus
- Stejneger's beaked whale, Mesoplodon stejnegeri
- Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris
Carnivorans
Family: Canidae
Six species of canids occurred in California. One was recently extirpated.
- Coyote, Canis latrans
- Gray wolf, Canis lupis
- Gray fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus
- Island fox, Urocyon littoralis
- Red fox, Vulpes vulpes
- Kit fox, Vulpes macrotis
Family: Ursidae
Two species of bears occurred in California. One was recently extirpated.
- Black bear, Ursus americanus
- Grizzly bear, Ursus arctos californicus
Family: Procyonidae
Two species of this nocturnal, omnivorous family occur in California.
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mephitidae
Two species of skunks occur in California.
- Striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis
- Western spotted skunk, Spilogale gracilis
- * Channel Islands spotted skunk, S. gracilis amphiala
Family: Felidae
Four species of cats occurred in California. One was recently extirpated.
- Bobcat, Lynx rufus
- Jaguar, Panthera onca
- Mountain lion, Puma concolor
Family: Mustelidae
- Wolverine, Gulo gulo
- American marten, Martes americana
- Fisher, Pekania pennanti
- Long-tailed weasel, Mustela frenata
- Ermine, Mustela erminea
- American mink, Neovison vison
- Sea otter, Enhydra lutris
- North American river otter, Lontra canadensis
- American badger, Taxidea taxus
Family: Otariidae
Four species of eared seals occur in California.
- Guadalupe fur seal, Arctocephalus townsendi
- Northern fur seal, Callorhinus ursinus
- Northern sea lion, Eumetopias jubatus
- California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Family: Phocidae
Two species of earless seals occur in California.
- Northern elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
- Harbor seal, Phoca vitulina
Even-toed ungulates
Family: Antilocapridae
One species of pronghorn occurs in California.
- Pronghorn, Antilocapra americana
Family: Bovidae
Two species of bison, cattle, goats, and sheep occur in California.
- Barbary sheep, Ammotragus lervia
- Bison, Bison bison
- Bighorn sheep, Ovis canadensis
- * Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep, O. c. sierrae
Family: Cervidae
Five species of deer and elk occur in California.
- * Tule elk, C. c. nannodes
- Fallow deer, Dama dama
- Mule deer, Odocoileus hemionus
- * California mule deer, O. h. californicus
- * Southern mule deer, O. h. fuliginatus
- * Inyo mule deer, O. h. inyoensis
- * Columbian black-tailed deer, O. h. columbianus
Family: Suidae
One species of pig occurs in California.
- Wild boar, Sus scrofa
- * European wild boar, Sus scrofa scrofa