This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Syria. There are 71 mammal species in Syria, of which 1 is critically endangered, 3 are endangered, 6 are vulnerable, and 3 are near-threatened. 1 of the species listed for Syria 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:
The elephants comprise three living species and are the largest living land animals.
Family: Elephantidae (elephants)
Genus: Elephas
Species: Asian elephant Elephas maximus EN
Syrian elephant Elephas maximus asurus EX
The hyraxes are any of four species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. About the size of a domestic cat they are well-furred, with rounded bodies and a stmpy tail. They are native to Africa and the Middle East.
Family: Procaviidae (hylaxes)
Genus: Procavia
Cape hyrax Procavia capensis LC
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
Subfamily: Xerinae
Tribe: Marmotini
Genus: Spermophilus
Asia Minor ground squirrel Spermophilus xanthoprymnus LR/lc
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: Calomyscidae
Genus: Calomyscus
Tsolov's mouse-like hamster Calomyscus tsolovi LR/nt
Family: Cricetidae
Subfamily: Cricetinae
Genus: Mesocricetus
Golden hamster Mesocricetus auratus EN
Turkish hamster Mesocricetus brandti LR/lc
Subfamily: Arvicolinae
Genus: Chionomys
Snow vole Chionomys nivalis LR/nt
Genus: Microtus
Günther's vole Microtus guentheri LR/nt
Persian vole Microtus irani LR/lc
Social vole Microtus socialis LR/lc
Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
Subfamily: Deomyinae
Genus: Acomys
Cairo spiny mouse Acomys cahirinus LC
Subfamily: Gerbillinae
Genus: Gerbillus
Wagner's gerbil Gerbillus dasyurus LR/lc
Genus: Meriones
Sundevall's jird Meriones crassus LC
Libyan jird Meriones libycus LC
Tristram's jird Meriones tristrami LR/lc
Vinogradov's jird Meriones vinogradovi LR/lc
Genus: Psammomys
Sand rat Psammomys obesus LC
Genus: Tatera
Indian gerbil Tatera indica LR/lc
Subfamily: Murinae
Genus: Apodemus
Yellow-necked mouse Apodemus flavicollis LR/lc
Genus: Mus
Macedonian mouse Mus macedonicus LR/lc
Genus: Nesokia
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: Erinaceus
Southern white-breasted hedgehog Erinaceus concolor LR/lc
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
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: Pteropodidae (flying foxes, Old World fruit bats)
Subfamily: Pteropodinae
Genus: Rousettus
Egyptian fruit bat Rousettus aegyptiacus LC
Family: Vespertilionidae
Subfamily: Myotinae
Genus: Myotis
Lesser mouse-eared bat Myotis blythii LR/lc
Greater mouse-eared bat Myotis myotis LR/nt
Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
Genus: Eptesicus
Botta's serotine Eptesicus bottae LC
Genus: Otonycteris
Desert long-eared bat Otonycteris hemprichii LR/lc
Genus: Pipistrellus
Kuhl's pipistrelle Pipistrellus kuhlii LC
Genus: Plecotus
Grey long-eared bat Plecotus austriacus LR/lc
Subfamily: Miniopterinae
Genus: Miniopterus
Schreibers' long-fingered bat Miniopterus schreibersii LC
Family: Nycteridae
Genus: Nycteris
Egyptian slit-faced bat Nycteris thebaica LC
Family: Rhinolophidae
Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
Genus: Rhinolophus
Blasius's horseshoe bat Rhinolophus blasii NT
Mediterranean horseshoe bat Rhinolophus euryale VU
Greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum LR/nt
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.
Species listed below also includes species being recorded in Levantine Sea.
Suborder: Mysticeti
Family: Balaenopteridae
Genus: Balaenoptera
Blue whale Balaenoptera m. musculus EN (possible)
Fin whale Balaenoptera physalus EN
Common minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata LC
Subfamily: Megapterinae
Genus: Megaptera
Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae LC
Family: Eschrichtiidae
Genus: Eschrichtius
North Atlantic gray whale Eschrichtius robustus EX (possibly a vagrant from Pacific was recorded off Israel in 2010)
Family: Balaenidae
Genus: Eubalaena
North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis CR (possible)
Suborder: Odontoceti
Family: Physeteridae
Genus: Physeter
Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus VU
Family: Ziphidae
Genus: Ziphius
Cuvier's beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris LC
Genus: Mesoplodon
Gervais' beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris DD
Superfamily: Platanistoidea
Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
Genus: Tursiops
Common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus LC
Genus: Steno
Rough-toothed dolphin Steno bredanensis DD (once being considered as vagrants, but later confirmed as residential)
Genus: Stenella
Striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba DD
Pantropical spotted dolphin Stenella attenuata LR/cd (possible)
Genus: Sousa
Sousa chinensis DD
Genus: Delphinus
Short-beaked common dolphin Delphinus delphis LC
Genus: Grampus
Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus LC
Genus: Orcinus
Orca Orcinus orca DD
Genus: Pseudorca
False killer whale Pseudorca crassidens DD
Genus: Globicephala
Long-finned pilot whale Globicephala melas DD
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
Caracal Caracal caracal LC
Genus: Felis
Palestine jungle cat Felis chaus furax LC
Arabian sand cat Felis margarita harrisoni NT
Syrian wildcat Felis silvestris nesterovi LC
Subfamily: Pantherinae
Genus: Panthera
Anatolian leopard Panthera pardus tulliana EN
Arabian leopard Panthera pardus nimr CR
Asiatic lion Panthera leo persica EN
Family: Herpestidae (mongooses)
Genus: Herpestes
Egyptian mongoose Herpestes ichneumon LR/lc
Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas)
Genus: Hyaena
Striped hyena Hyaena hyaena LR/nt
Suborder: Caniformia
Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
Genus: Vulpes
Red fox Vulpes vulpes LC
Genus: Canis
Syrian jackal Canis aureus syriacus LC
Arabian wolf Canis lupus arabs EN
Family: Ursidae (bears)
Genus: Ursus
Syrian brown bear Ursus arctos syriacus LR/lc
Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
Genus: Mustela
Least weasel Mustela nivalis LR/lc
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
Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
Genus: Monachus
Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus CR
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: Capreolinae
Genus: Capreolus
Roe deer Capreolus capreolus LR/lc
Family: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats)
Subfamily: Antilopinae
Genus: Gazella
Mountain gazelle Gazella gazella VU
Saudi gazelle Gazella saudiya EW
Goitered gazelle Gazella subgutturosa VU
Subfamily: Caprinae
Genus: Capra
Wild goat Capra aegagrus VU
Nubian ibex Capra nubiana EN
Subfamily: Hippotraginae
Genus: Oryx
Arabian oryx Oryx leucoryx EN
