List of mammals of Estonia
This list of mammals of Estonia shows the IUCN Red List status of the mammal fauna occurring in Estonia. It is somewhat impoverished compared to that of southern and central Europe due to the short period since the last ice age. Native species are considered to be those which are today present in the country. There are no endemic mammal species in Estonia.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed on the IUCN Red List published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:
EX | Extinct | Species is completely extinct |
EW | Extinct in the wild | Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range. |
CR | Critically endangered | The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild. |
EN | Endangered | The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. |
VU | Vulnerable | The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. |
NT | Near threatened | The species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to do so in the future. |
LC | Least concern | There are no current identifiable risks to the species. |
DD | Data deficient | There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species. |
Subclass: [Theria]
Infraclass: [Eutheria]
Order: [Eulipotyphla] (shrews, hedgehogs, gymnures, moles and solenodons)
----Eulipotyphlans are insectivorous mammals. Shrews and solenodons resemble mice, hedgehogs carry spines, gymnures look more like large rats, while moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
- Family: Erinaceidae
- *Subfamily: Erinaceinae
- **Genus: Erinaceus
- *** West European hedgehog, E. europaeus LC
- *** Northern white-breasted hedgehog, E. roumanicus
- Family: Soricidae
- *Subfamily: Soricinae
- **Tribe: Nectogalini
- ***Genus: Neomys
- **** Eurasian water shrew, Neomys fodiens LC
- **Tribe: Soricini
- ***Genus: Sorex
- **** Common shrew, Sorex araneus LC
- **** Laxmann's shrew, Sorex caecutiens LC
- **** Eurasian pygmy shrew, Sorex minutus LC
- **** Eurasian least shrew, Sorex minutissimus
- Family: Talpidae
- *Subfamily: Talpinae
- **Tribe: Talpini
- ***Genus: Talpa
- **** European mole, Talpa europaea LC
Order: [Chiroptera] (bats)
The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.
- Family: Vespertilionidae
- *Subfamily: Myotinae
- **Genus: Myotis
- *** Brandt's bat, Myotis brandti LC
- *** Pond bat, Myotis dasycneme VU
- *** Daubenton's bat, Myotis daubentonii LC
- *** Whiskered bat, Myotis mystacinus LC
- *** Natterer's bat, Myotis nattereri LC
- *Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
- **Genus: Barbastella
- *** Barbastelle, Barbastella barbastellus VU
- **Genus: Eptesicus
- *** Northern bat, Eptesicus nilssoni LC
- **Genus: Nyctalus
- *** Common noctule, Nyctalus noctula LC
- **Genus: Pipistrellus
- *** Nathusius' pipistrelle, Pipistrellus nathusii LC
- *** Common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus LC
- *** Soprano pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pygmaeus
- **Genus: Plecotus
- *** Brown long-eared bat or common long-eared bat, Plecotus auritus LC
- **Genus: Vespertilio
- *** Parti-coloured bat, Vespertilio murinus LC
Order: [Lagomorpha] (lagomorphs)
The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae, and Ochotonidae. Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early twentieth century, they have since been considered a separate order. They differ from rodents in a number of physical characteristics, such as having four incisors in the upper jaw rather than two.
- Family: Leporidae
- *Genus: Lepus
- **European hare, L. europaeus
- ** Mountain hare, L. timidus LC
Order: [Rodent]ia (rodents)
Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to.
- Suborder: Sciurognathi
- *Family: Castoridae
- **Genus: Castor
- *** Eurasian beaver, C. fiber
- *Family: Sciuridae
- **Subfamily: Sciurinae
- ***Tribe: Sciurini
- ****Genus: Sciurus
- ***** Red squirrel, S. vulgaris LC
- **Tribe: Pteromyini
- ***Genus: Pteromys
- **** Siberian flying squirrel, P. volans NT
- *Family: Gliridae
- **Subfamily: Leithiinae
- ***Genus: Eliomys
- **** Garden dormouse, Eliomys quercinus VU
- ***Genus: Muscardinus
- **** Hazel dormouse, Muscardinus avellanarius NT
- *Family: Dipodidae
- **Subfamily: Sicistinae
- ***Genus: Sicista
- **** Northern birch mouse, Sicista betulina NT
- *Family: Cricetidae
- **Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- ***Genus: Arvicola
- **** European water vole or north-western water vole, Arvicola terrestris LC
- ***Genus: Clethrionomys
- **** Bank vole, Myodes glareolus or Clethrionomys glareolus LC
- ***Genus: Microtus
- **** Field vole, Microtus agrestis LC
- **** Common vole, Microtus arvalis LC
- **** Root vole, Microtus oeconomus
- **** Sibling vole, Microtus levis
- **** European pine vole, Microtus subterraneus
- *Family: Muridae
- **Subfamily: Murinae
- ***Genus: Apodemus
- **** Striped field mouse, Apodemus agrarius LC
- **** Yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis LC
- **** Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus LC
- **** Ural field mouse, Apodemus uralensis LC
- ***Genus: Micromys
- **** Harvest mouse, Micromys minutus NT
Order: [Carnivora] (carnivorans)
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
- Suborder: Feliformia
- *Family: Felidae
- **Subfamily: Felinae
- ***Genus: Lynx
- **** Eurasian lynx, L. lynx LC
- Suborder: Caniformia
- *Family: Canidae
- **Genus: Vulpes
- *** Red fox, V. vulpes LC
- **Genus: Canis
- *** Gray wolf, C. lupus LC
- *Family: Ursidae
- **Genus: Ursus
- *** Brown bear, U. arctos LC
- *Family: Mustelidae
- **Genus: Mustela
- *** European mink, M. lutreola CR
- *** Stoat or ermine, Mustela erminea LC
- *** American mink, Mustela vison
- *** Least weasel, Mustela nivalis LC
- *** European polecat, Mustela putorius LC
- **Genus: Meles
- *** Eurasian badger, M. meles LC
- **Genus: Lutra
- *** European otter, L. lutra NT
- *Family: Phocidae
- **Genus: Halichoerus
- *** Grey seal, H. grypus LC
- **Genus: Pusa
- *** Ringed seal, P. hispida LC
Order: [Cetacea] (whales)
The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. They are the mammals most fully adapted to aquatic life with a spindle-shaped nearly hairless body, protected by a thick layer of blubber, and forelimbs and tail modified to provide propulsion underwater.
- Suborder: Mysticeti
- *Family: Balaenidae
- **Genus: Eubalaena
- *** North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis CR or functionally extinct in eastern Atlantic
- *Family: Eschrichtiidae
- **Genus: Eschrichtius
- *** North Atlantic gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus EX
- *Family: Balaenopteridae
- **Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
- ***Genus: Balaenoptera
- **** Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus EN
- **** Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata LC
- **Subfamily: Megapterinae
- ***Genus: Megaptera
- **** Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae LC
- Suborder: Odontoceti
- *Family: Phocoenidae
- **Genus: Phocoena
- *** Harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena VU
- *Family: Monodontidae
- **Genus: Delphinapterus
- *** Beluga, Delphinapterus leucas VU
- *Family: Ziphidae
- **Genus: Mesoplodon
- *** Sowerby's beaked whale, Mesoplodon bidens DD
- *Family: Delphinidae
- **Genus: Lagenorhynchus
- *** White-beaked dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris LC
- **Genus: Tursiops
- *** Bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus DD
- ***Genus: Orcinus
- **** Orca, Orcinus orca DD
Order: [Artiodactyla] (even-toed ungulates)
The even-toed ungulates are ungulates whose weight is borne about equally by the third and fourth toes, rather than mostly or entirely by the third as in perissodactyls. There are about 220 artiodactyl species, including many that are of great economic importance to humans.
- Family: Suidae
- *Subfamily: Suinae
- **Genus: Sus
- *** Wild boar, S. scrofa LC
- Family: Cervidae
- *Subfamily: Cervinae
- **Genus: Cervus
- *** Red deer, Cervus elaphus LC
- *** Sika deer, Cervus nippon
- *Subfamily: Capreolinae
- **Genus: Alces
- *** Moose, Alces alces LC
- **Genus: Capreolus
- *** Roe deer, Capreolus capreolus LC