This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Belgium. There are 71 mammal species in Belgium, of which 0 are critically endangered, 1 is endangered, 8 are vulnerable, and 3 are near-threatened.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the IUCN:
Some species were assessed using an earlier set of criteria. Species assessed using this system have the following instead of Near Threatened and Least Concern categories:
Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40 percent 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 45 kg (100 lb).
Suborder: Sciurognathi
Family: Castoridae (beavers)
Genus: Castor
European beaver Castor fiber NT
Family: Myocastoridae
Genus: Myocastor
Coypu Myocastor coypus (Exotic species)
Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
Subfamily: Sciurinae
Tribe: Sciurini
Genus: Sciurus
Red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris NT
Family: Gliridae (dormice)
Subfamily: Leithiinae
Genus: Eliomys
Garden dormouse Eliomys quercinus VU
Genus: Muscardinus
Hazel dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius LR/nt
Subfamily: Glirinae
Genus: Glis
Edible dormouse Glis glis LR/nt
Family: Cricetidae
Subfamily: Cricetinae
Genus: Cricetus
European hamster Cricetus cricetus LR/lc
Subfamily: Arvicolinae
Genus: Arvicola
Water vole Arvicola terrestris LR/lc
Genus: Clethrionomys
Bank vole Clethrionomys glareolus LR/lc
Genus: Microtus
Field vole Microtus agrestis LR/lc
Common vole Microtus arvalis LR/lc
European pine vole Microtus subterraneus LR/lc
Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
Subfamily: Murinae
Genus: Apodemus
Yellow-necked mouse Apodemus flavicollis LR/lc
Wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus LC
Genus: Micromys
Harvest mouse Micromys minutus LR/nt
Genus: Rattus
Brown rat Rattus norvegicus
Black rat Rattus rattus Exotic
The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). 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 (rabbits, hares)
Genus: Oryctolagus
European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus LR/lc
Genus: Lepus
European hare Lepus europaeus LR/lc
The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and gymnures. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats.
Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs)
Subfamily: Erinaceinae
Genus: Erinaceus
European hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus LR/lc
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
Family: Soricidae (shrews)
Subfamily: Crocidurinae
Genus: Crocidura
Bicolored shrew Crocidura leucodon LR/lc
Greater white-toothed shrew Crocidura russula LC
Subfamily: Soricinae
Tribe: Nectogalini
Genus: Neomys
Southern water shrew Neomys anomalus LR/lc
Eurasian water shrew Neomys fodiens LR/lc
Tribe: Soricini
Genus: Sorex
Crowned shrew Sorex coronatus LR/lc
Eurasian pygmy shrew Sorex minutus LR/lc
Family: Talpidae (moles)
Subfamily: Talpinae
Tribe: Talpini
Genus: Talpa
European mole Talpa europaea LR/lc
The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals in the world naturally capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.
Family: Vespertilionidae
Subfamily: Myotinae
Genus: Myotis
Bechstein's bat Myotis bechsteini VU
Brandt's bat Myotis brandti LR/lc
Pond bat Myotis dasycneme VU
Daubenton's bat Myotis daubentonii LR/lc
Geoffroy's bat Myotis emarginatus VU
Greater mouse-eared bat Myotis myotis LR/nt
Whiskered bat Myotis mystacinus LR/lc
Natterer's bat Myotis nattereri LR/lc
Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
Genus: Barbastella
Barbastelle Barbastella barbastellus VU
Genus: Eptesicus
Northern bat Eptesicus nilssoni LR/lc
Serotine bat Eptesicus serotinus LR/lc
Genus: Nyctalus
Lesser noctule Nyctalus leisleri LR/nt
Common noctule Nyctalus noctula LR/lc
Genus: Pipistrellus
Nathusius' Pipistrelle Pipistrellus nathusii LR/lc
Common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus LC
Genus: Plecotus
Brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritus LR/lc
Grey long-eared bat Plecotus austriacus LR/lc
Family: Rhinolophidae
Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
Genus: Rhinolophus
Greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum LR/nt
Lesser horseshoe bat Rhinolophus hipposideros LC
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 EN (Almost extinct in eastern North Atlantic)
Family: Eschrichtiidae
Genus: Eschrichtius
Gray Whale Eschrichtius robustus LR/cd (Seemingly Extinct in Atlantic Ocean)
Family: Megapterinae
Genus: Megaptera
Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae LC
Family: Balaenopteridae
Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
Genus: Balaenoptera
Fin whale Balaenoptera physalus EN
Minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata LR/nt
Suborder: Odontoceti
Superfamily: Platanistoidea
Family: Physeteridae
Genus: Physeter
Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus VU
Family: Kogiidae
Genus: Kogia
Pygmy sperm whale Kogia breviceps LR/LC
Family: Monodontidae
Genus: Delphinapterus
Beluga Delphinapterus leucas VU
Family: Phocoenidae
Genus: Phocoena
Harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena VU
Family: Ziphidae
Subfamily: Hyperoodontinae
Genus: Mesoplodon
Sowerby's beaked whale Mesoplodon bidens DD
Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
Genus: Stenella
Striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba LR/cd
Genus: Tursiops
Common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus
Genus: Delphinus
Common dolphin Delphinus delphis LR/lc
Long-beaked common dolphin Delphinus capensisFpse
Genus: Lagenorhynchus
Atlantic white-sided dolphin Lagenorhynchus acutus LR/lc
White-beaked dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris LR/lc
Genus: Steno
Rough-toothed dolphin Steno bredanensis
Genus: Grampus
Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus DD
Genus: Globicephala
Pilot whale Globicephala melas LR/lc
Genus: Orcinus
Killer whale Orcinus orca
Genus: Pseudorca
False killer whale Pseudorca crassidens
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 (cats)
Subfamily: Felinae
Genus: Felis
Wildcat Felis silvestris LC
Family: Viverridae (civets, mongooses, etc.)
Subfamily: Viverrinae
Genus: Genetta
Common genet Genetta genetta LR/lc (Exotic species)
Suborder: Caniformia
Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
Genus: Vulpes
Red fox Vulpes vulpes
Gray Wolf Canis lupus
Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
Genus: Mustela
Stoat Mustela erminea LR/lc
Least weasel Mustela nivalis LR/lc
European polecat Mustela putorius LR/lc
Genus: Martes
Pine marten Martes martes LR/lc
Beech marten Martes foina
Genus: Meles
Eurasian badger Meles meles LR/lc
Genus: Lutra
European otter Lutra lutra NT
Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
Genus: Phoca
Common seal Phoca vitulina LR/lc
Genus: Halichoerus
Grey seal Halichoerus grypus
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 (pigs)
Subfamily: Suinae
Genus: Sus
Boar Sus scrofa LR/lc
Family: Cervidae (deer)
Subfamily: Cervinae
Genus: Cervus
Red deer Cervus elaphus LR/lc
Subfamily: Capreolinae
Genus: Capreolus
Roe deer Capreolus capreolus LR/lc
