This is a list of the 60 mammal species recorded in Ireland. A new Red List of Irish terrestrial mammals was published in 2009 and all 26 terrestrial species native to Ireland, or naturalised in Ireland before 1500, were assessed. Of these, one was found to be regionally extinct (grey wolf Canis lupus), one achieved a threat status of Vulnerable (black rat Rattus rattus), three were found to be Near Threatened (Leisler's bat Nyctalus leisleri), otter (Lutra lutra) and red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)), one was data deficient (Brandt's bat Myotis brandtii) and the remaining 20 were of least concern.
The following tag are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the IUCN:
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
Genus: Sciurus
Red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris NT.
Eastern grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis not assessed - a recent introduction in 1911.
Family: Cricetidae
Subfamily: Arvicolinae
Genus: Myodes
Bank vole Myodes glareolus not assessed - a recent introduction.
Family: Muridae (mice, rats, etc.)
Subfamily: Murinae
Genus: Mus
House mouse Mus musculus LC. Very early introduction.
Genus: Apodemus
Wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus LC.
Genus: Rattus
Brown rat Rattus norvegicus - not assessed; post 1500 introduction.
Black rat Rattus rattus - VU; a very early (pre-1500) introduction.
Family: Gliridae
Subfamily: Leithiinae
Genus: Muscardinus
Hazel dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius - not assessed; a recent introduction (confirmed 2013).
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: Oryctolagus
European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus LC - an early introduction c. 12th century.
Genus: Lepus
Irish hare Lepus timidus LC.
European hare Lepus europaeus - not assessed; recent introduction.
Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)
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
West European hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus LC.
Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
Family: Soricidae (shrews)
Subfamily: Soricinae
Genus: Sorex
Eurasian pygmy shrew Sorex minutus LC.
Genus: Crocidura
Greater white-toothed shrew Crocidura russula, not assessed, a very recent introduction.
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
Daubenton's bat Myotis daubentonii LC.
Whiskered bat Myotis mystacinus LC.
Brandt's bat Myotis brandti DD.
Natterer's bat Myotis nattereri LC.
Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
Genus: Nyctalus
Leisler's bat Nyctalus leisleri NT.
Genus: Pipistrellus
Common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus LC.
Soprano pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus LC.
Nathusius pipistrelle Pipistrellus nathusii LC.
Genus: Plecotus
Brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritus LC.
Family: Rhinolophidae
Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
Genus: Rhinolophus
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 (right whales)
Genus: Balaena
Bowhead whale Balaena mysticetus♠ LC (Vagrant)
Genus: Eubalaena
North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis ♠ CR or Functionally Extinct in Eastern Atlantic
Family: Eschrichtiidae (gray whales)
Genus: Eschrichtius
North Atlantic gray whale Eschrichtius robustus♠ EX (A plan to re-introduce into Irish Sea was once considered)
Family: Balaenopteridae (rorqual)
Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
Genus: Balaenoptera
Common minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata♠ LR/NT
Sei whale Balaenoptera borealis♠ EN
Fin whale Balaenoptera physalus♠ EN (increasing gradually in Irish waters)
Blue whale Balaenoptera m. musculus♠ EN
Family: Megapterinae
Genus: Megaptera
Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae♠ LC (used to be rare, now increasing gradually in Irish waters)
Suborder: Odontoceti
Superfamily: Platanistoidea
Family: Monodontidae (narwhals)
Genus: Delphinapterus
Beluga Delphinapterus leucas♠ NT
Family: Phocoenidae (porpoises)
Genus: Phocoena
Harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena♠ LC
Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales)
Genus: Physeter
Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus♠ VU
Family: Kogiidae
Genus: Kogia
Pygmy sperm whale Kogia breviceps♠ LR/LC
Family: Ziphidae (beaked whales)
Genus: Ziphius
Cuvier's beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris♠ DD
Subfamily: Hyperoodontinae
Genus: Hyperoodon
North Atlantic Bottlenose whale Hyperoodon ampullatus♠ DD
Genus: Mesoplodon
Sowerby's beaked whale Mesoplodon bidens♠ DD
Gervais' beaked whale Mesoplodon europaeus♠ DD
True's beaked whale Mesoplodon mirus♠ DD
Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
Genus: Delphis
Short-beaked common dolphin Delphinus delphis♠ LR/LC
Genus: Tursiops
Bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus♠ DD
Genus: Stenella
Striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba LR/cd
Genus: Lagenorhynchus
Atlantic white-sided dolphin Lagenorhynchus acutus♠ LR/LC
White-beaked dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris♠ LR/LC
Genus: Grampus
Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus♠ DD
Genus: Globicephala
Pilot whale Globicephala melas♠ LR/LC
Genus: Pseudorca
False killer whale Pseudorca crassidens♠ DD
Genus: Orcinus
Orca Orcinus orca♠ DD
Carnivorans include over 260 species, the majority of which eat meat as their primary dietary item. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
Suborder: Caniformia
Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
Genus: Vulpes
Red fox Vulpes vulpes LC.
Genus: Canis
Grey wolf Canis lupus RE - the last wolf in Ireland was killed in 1786
Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
Genus: Neovison
American mink Neovison vison, not assessed. Recent introduction.
Genus: Mustela
Stoat Mustela erminea LC.
Genus: Martes
European pine marten Martes martes LC.
Genus: Meles
Eurasian badger Meles meles LC.
Genus: Lutra
European otter Lutra lutra NT.
Family: Odobenidae
Genus: Odobenus
Walrus Odobenus rosmarus LR/LC Migrant. Very occasional.
Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
Genus: Halichoerus
Grey seal Halichoerus grypus LR/LC
Genus: Phoca
Common seal Phoca vitulina LR/LC
Genus: Erignathus
Bearded seal Erignathus barbatus LC/RC September 2002 Leenane, County Mayo is the first, and only, record of this Arctic seal for Ireland.
Genus: Pusa
Ringed seal Pusa hispida LC/RC Migrant. Very occasional.
Genus: Pagophilus
Harp seal Pagophilus groenlandicus LC/RC Migrant. Very occasional.
Genus: Cystophora
Hooded seal Cystophora cristatus VU Migrant. Very occasional.
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 not assessed, recent reintroduction.
Family: Cervidae (deer)
Subfamily: Cervinae
Genus: Cervus
Red deer Cervus elaphus - introduced around 5,000 years ago.
Reeves's muntjac Muntiacus reevesi not assessed - recent introduction
Sika deer Cervus nippon not assessed - recent introduction
Subfamily: Capreolinae
Genus: Capreolus
Roe deer Capreolus capreolus Not assessed. No longer present. Introduced to the Lissadell Estate, Co. Sligo in 1870. Died out c. 1920.
Genus: Dama
Fallow deer Dama dama - Introduced by the Normans in 1244.
Family: Bovidae
Subfamily: Caprinae
Genus: Capra
Feral Bilberry goat Capra aegagrus hircus. Not assessed, derived from domesticated animals.
The following species are found in Great Britain but not in Ireland:
Field vole Microtus agrestis
Common vole M. arvalis
Water vole Arvicola terrestris
Harvest mouse Micromys minutus
Yellow-necked mouse A. flavicollis
Edible dormouse Glis glis
European mole Talpa europaea
Common shrew Sorex araneus
Eurasian water shrew Neomys fodiens
Lesser white-toothed shrew Crocidura suaveolens
Greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum
Greater mouse-eared bat Myotis myotis
Bechstein's bat M. bechsteini
Parti-coloured bat Vespertilio murinus
Serotine Eptesicus serotinus
Northern bat E. nilssoni
Common noctule Nyctalus noctula
Hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus
Barbastelle Barbastella barbastellus
Grey long-eared bat Plecotus austriacus
Least weasel Mustela nivalis
European polecat M. putorius
European wildcat Felis sylvestris silvestris
Red-necked wallaby Macropus rufogriseus
Water deer Hydropotes inermis – Introduced c.1896.
Eurasian beaver Castor fiber – Reintroduced 2009
