This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Iraq. There are 78 mammal species in Iraq, of which 0 are critically endangered, 1 is endangered, 11 are vulnerable, and 3 are near-threatened. 1 of the species listed for Iraq can no longer be found in the wild.
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:
Sirenia is an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit rivers, estuaries, coastal marine waters, swamps, and marine wetlands. All four species are endangered.
Family: Dugongidae
Genus: Dugong
Dugong Dugong dugon VU
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 keep short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to 45 kg (100 lb).
Suborder: Sciurognathi
Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
Subfamily: Sciurinae
Tribe: Sciurini
Genus: Sciurus
Caucasian squirrel Sciurus anomalus LR/nt
Family: Gliridae (dormice)
Subfamily: Leithiinae
Genus: Dryomys
Forest dormouse Dryomys nitedula LR/nt
Genus: Eliomys
Asian garden dormouse Eliomys melanurus LC
Family: Dipodidae (jerboas)
Subfamily: Allactaginae
Genus: Allactaga
Euphrates jerboa Allactaga euphratica LR/nt
Family: Spalacidae
Subfamily: Spalacinae
Genus: Nannospalax
Palestine mole rat Nannospalax ehrenbergi LC
Family: Cricetidae
Subfamily: Cricetinae
Genus: Cricetulus
Gray dwarf hamster Cricetulus migratorius LR/nt
Genus: Mesocricetus
Turkish hamster Mesocricetus brandti LR/lc
Subfamily: Arvicolinae
Genus: Microtus
Günther's vole Microtus guentheri LR/nt
Persian vole Microtus irani LR/lc
Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
Subfamily: Deomyinae
Genus: Acomys
Cairo spiny mouse Acomys cahirinus LC
Subfamily: Gerbillinae
Genus: Gerbillus
Cheesman's gerbil Gerbillus cheesmani LR/lc
Wagner's gerbil Gerbillus dasyurus LR/lc
Gerbillus mesopotamiae LR/lc
Gerbillus nanus LC
Genus: Meriones
Sundevall's jird Meriones crassus LC
Libyan jird Meriones libycus LC
Persian jird Meriones persicus LR/lc
Tristram's jird Meriones tristrami LR/lc
Genus: Tatera
Indian gerbil Tatera indica LR/lc
Subfamily: Murinae
Genus: Apodemus
Persian field mouse Apodemus arianus LR/lc
Broad-toothed field mouse Apodemus mystacinus LR/lc
Black Sea field mouse Apodemus ponticus LR/lc
Genus: Nesokia
Bunn's short-tailed bandicoot rat Nesokia bunnii LR/nt
Short-tailed bandicoot rat Nesokia indica LC
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 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 (rabbits, hares)
Genus: Lepus
Cape hare Lepus capensis LR/lc
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: Hemiechinus
Desert hedgehog Hemiechinus aethiopicus LR/lc
Long-eared hedgehog Hemiechinus auritus 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
Lesser white-toothed shrew Crocidura suaveolens 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
Lesser mouse-eared bat Myotis blythii LR/lc
Long-fingered bat Myotis capaccinii VU
Natterer's bat Myotis nattereri LR/lc
Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
Genus: Eptesicus
Botta's serotine Eptesicus bottae LC
Sind bat Eptesicus nasutus VU
Northern bat Eptesicus nilssoni LR/lc
Genus: Otonycteris
Desert long-eared bat Otonycteris hemprichii LR/lc
Genus: Pipistrellus
Kuhl's pipistrelle Pipistrellus kuhlii LC
Rüppell's pipistrelle Pipistrellus rueppelli LC
Subfamily: Miniopterinae
Genus: Miniopterus
Schreibers' long-fingered bat Miniopterus schreibersii LC
Family: Rhinopomatidae
Genus: Rhinopoma
Lesser mouse-tailed bat Rhinopoma hardwickei LC
Greater mouse-tailed bat Rhinopoma microphyllum LC
Family: Molossidae
Genus: Tadarida
European free-tailed bat Tadarida teniotis LR/lc
Family: Rhinolophidae
Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
Genus: Rhinolophus
Mediterranean horseshoe bat Rhinolophus euryale VU
Greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum LR/nt
Lesser horseshoe bat Rhinolophus hipposideros LC
Mehely's horseshoe bat Rhinolophus mehelyi VU
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: Balaenopteridae
Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
Genus: Balaenoptera
Bryde's whale Balaenoptera edeni DD
Subfamily: Megapterinae
Genus: Megaptera
Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae VU
Suborder: Odontoceti
Superfamily: Platanistoidea
Family: Phocoenidae
Genus: Neophocaena
Finless porpoise Neophocaena phocaenoides DD
Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
Genus: Sousa
Sousa chinensis DD
Genus: Grampus
Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus DD
Genus: Pseudorca
False killer whale Pseudorca crassidens LR/lc
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: Acinonyx
Asiatic cheetah Acinonyx jubatus venaticus CR
Genus: Caracal
Asiatic caracal Caracal caracal schmitzi LC
Genus: Felis
Palestine jungle cat Felis chaus furax LC
Arabian sand cat Felis margarita harrisoni NT
Syrian wildcat Felis silvestris nesterovi LC
Genus: Lynx
Caucasian lynx Lynx lynx dinniki VU
Subfamily: Pantherinae
Genus: Panthera
Asiatic lion Panthera leo persica EN
Persian leopard Panthera pardus ciscaucasica EN
Caspian tiger Panthera tigris virgata EX
Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas)
Genus: Hyaena
Striped hyena Hyaena hyaena LR/nt
Family: Herpestidae (mongooses)
Genus: Herpestes
Small Asian mongoose Herpestes javanicus LC
Suborder: Caniformia
Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
Genus: Vulpes
Red fox Vulpes vulpes LC
Ruppell's foxVulpes rueppelli DD
Genus: Canis
Common jackal Canis aureus aureus LC
Arabian wolf Canis lupus arabs EN
Indian wolf Canis lupus pallipes EN
Family: Ursidae (bears)
Genus: Ursus
Syrian brown bear Ursus arctos syriacus LR/lc
Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
Genus: Vormela
Marbled polecat Vormela peregusna LR/lc
Genus: Mellivora
Ratel Mellivora capensis LR/lc
Genus: Meles
Eurasian badger Meles meles LR/lc
Genus: Lutra
European otter Lutra lutra NT
Genus: Lutrogale
Smooth-coated otter Lutrogale perspicillata VU
The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and grazing mammals. They are usually large to very large, and have relatively simple stomachs and a large middle toe.
Family: Equidae (horses etc.)
Genus: Equus
Syrian wild ass Equus hemionus hemippus EX
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: Cervidae (deer)
Subfamily: Cervinae
Genus: Dama
Fallow deer Dama dama LR/lc
Persian fallow deer Dama mesopotamica EW
Subfamily: Capreolinae
Genus: Capreolus
Roe deer Capreolus capreolus LR/lc
Family: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats)
Subfamily: Antilopinae
Genus: Gazella
Water buffalo Bubalus bubalis FB
Saudi gazelle Gazella saudiya EW
Goitered gazelle Gazella subgutturosa VU
Subfamily: Caprinae
Genus: Capra
Wild goat Capra aegagrus VU
Subfamily: Hippotraginae
Genus: Oryx
Arabian oryx Oryx leucoryx EN
Family: Suidae (pigs)
Genus: Sus
Wild boar Sus scrofa LC
