List of mammals of Great Britain


This is a list of mammals of Great Britain. The mammal fauna of Great Britain is somewhat impoverished compared to that of Continental Europe due to the short period of time between the last ice age and the flooding of the land bridge between Great Britain and the rest of Europe. Only those land species which crossed before the creation of the English Channel and those introduced by humans exist in Great Britain.
Great Britain holds important populations of grey seals and rare bat species.
Native species are considered to be species which are today present in the region in question, and have been continuously present in that region since a certain period of time. When applied to Great Britain, three possible definitions of this time constraint are:
This list includes mammals from the small islands around Great Britain and the Channel Islands. There are no endemic mammal species in Great Britain, although four distinct subspecies of rodents have arisen on small islands.
The following tags are used to highlight the conservation conservation status of each species' British population, as assessed by Natural England and The Mammal Society in a Regional Red List, following the criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. This listing does not cover introduced species, marine species, or vagrants.
ExtinctNo reasonable doubt that the last individual has died.
Extinct in the wildKnown only to survive in captivity or as a naturalised population well outside its previous range.
Critically endangeredThe species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild.
EndangeredThe species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
VulnerableThe species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Near threatenedThe species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to in the future.
Least concernThere are no current identifiable risks to the species.
Data deficientThere is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species.

Wallabies

Superorder: Australidelphia
Order: Diprotodontia
Though most marsupials make up a great part of the fauna in the Australian region, the red-necked wallaby has been introduced and feral populations are currently breeding on the island of Inchconnachan on Loch Lomond in Argyll and Bute, Scotland and on the Isle of Man. Other colonies have existed in Devon, the Peak District, and the Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, and although these are now believed to be locally extinct, occasional sightings continue.
Family: Macropodidae
Family: Castoridae
Family: Cricetidae
Family: Muridae
Family: Gliridae
Family: Sciuridae
Superorder: Euarchontoglires
Order: Lagomorpha
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 20th 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
Superorder: Laurasiatheria
Order: Eulipotyphla
The order Eulipotyphla contains insectivorous mammals. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats. Shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
Family: Talpidae
Family: Soricidae
Family: Erinaceidae
Superorder: Laurasiatheria
Order: Chiroptera
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: Rhinolophidae
Family: Vespertilionidae
Superorder: Laurasiatheria
Order: Carnivora
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
Family: Canidae
Family: Mustelidae
Family: Felidae
Family: Procyonidae
Family: Phocidae
Superorder: Laurasiatheria
Order: Perissodactyla
Superorder: Laurasiatheria
Order: Artiodactyla
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
Family: Cervidae
Superorder: Laurasiatheria
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
diving
and a boat in the British water
The infraorder 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.