This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Sardinia, Italy.
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 keep short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to 45 kg (100 lb).
Suborder: Sciuromorpha
Family: Gliridae (dormice)
Subfamily: Glirinae
Genus: Glis
Edible dormouse, Glis glis LC
Subfamily: Leithiinae
Genus: Eliomys
Garden dormouse, Eliomys quercinus NT
Suborder: Myomorpha
Family: Cricetidae (hamsters and voles)
Subfamily: Cricetinae
Genus: Tyrrhenicola
Corsican-Sardinian vole, Tyrrhenicola henseli EX
Family: Muridae (mice and rats)
Subfamily: Murinae
Genus: Apodemus
Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus LC
Genus: Mus
House mouse, Mus musculus LC
Genus: Rattus
Brown rat, Rattus norvegicus LC
Black rat, Rattus rattus 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: Oryctolagus
European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus LR/lc
Genus: Lepus
Cape hare, Lepus capensis LR/lc
Family: Prolagidae (European pikas)
Genus: Prolagus
Sardinian pika, Prolagus sardus EX
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 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
North African white-toothed shrew, Crocidura ichnusae LC
Genus: Suncus
Etruscan shrew, Suncus etruscus LC
Subfamily: Soricinae
Genus: Nesiotites
Sardinian shrew, Nesiotites similis EX
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: Miniopteridae (long-winged bats)
Subfamily: Miniopterinae
Genus: Miniopterus
Family: Molossidae (free-tailed bats)
Subfamily: Molossinae
Genus: Tadarida
Family: Rhinolophidae (horseshoe bats)
Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
Genus: Rhinolophus
Family: Vespertilionidae (mouse-eared bats)
Subfamily: Myotinae
Genus: Myotis
Subfamily: Verpertilioninae
Genus: Barbastella
Genus: Eptesicus
Genus: Hypsugo
Genus: Nyctalus
Genus: Plecotus
Genus: Pipistrellus
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 (rorquals)
Genus: Balaenoptera
Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata LC
Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus EN
Subfamily: Megapterinae
Genus: Megaptera
Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae LC
Family: Balaenidae
Genus: Eubalaena
North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis CR (possible)
Suborder: Odontoceti
Family: Delphinidae (dolphins and pilot whales)
Genus: Grampus
Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus LC
Genus: Globicephala
Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas DD
Genus: Orcinus
Killer whale, Orcinus orca DD
Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales)
Genus: Physeter
Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus VU
Family: Ziphiidae (beaked whales)
Genus: Mesoplodon
Blainville's beaked whale, Mesoplodon densirostris DD
Sowerby's beaked whale Mesoplodon bidens DD
Genus: Ziphius
Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris 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)
Genus: Felis
African wildcat, Felis lybica LC
Genus: Lynx
Sardinian lynx, Lynx lynx sardiniae EX
Suborder: Caniformia
Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes, wolves)
Genus: Cynotherium
Sardinian dhole, Cynotherium sardous EX
Genus: Vulpes
Red fox, Vulpes vulpes LC
Family: Mustelidae (weasels)
Genus: Martes
Pine marten, Martes martes LC
Genus: Mustela
Least weasel, Mustela nivalis LC
Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
Genus: Monachus
Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus CR (possibly once became extinct on Sardinia and later repopulated in Gennargentu National Park)
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
Wild boar, Sus scrofa LC
Family: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats)
Subfamily: Caprinae
Genus: Ovis
Mouflon, Ovis aries orientalis VU
Family: Cervidae (deer)
Subfamily: Cervinae
Genus: Cervus
Corsican red deer, Cervus elaphus corsicanus NT
Genus: Dama
Fallow deer, Dama dama LC