This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Tunisia. These are the mammal species in Tunisia, of which 3 are critically endangered, 3 are endangered, 9 are vulnerable, and 2 are near-threatened. 1 of the species listed for Tunisia 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:
Often called sengisi, the elephant shrews or jumping shrews are native to southern Africa. Their common English name derives from their elongated flexible snout and their resemblance to the true shrews.
Family: Macroscelididae (elephant shrews)
Genus: Elephantulus
North African elephant shrew Elephantulus rozeti 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: Hystricognathi
Family: Hystricidae (Old World porcupines)
Genus: Hystrix
Crested porcupine Hystrix cristata LC
Suborder: Sciurognathi
Family: Gliridae (dormice)
Subfamily: Leithiinae
Genus: Eliomys
Asian garden dormouse Eliomys melanurus LC
Family: Dipodidae (jerboas)
Subfamily: Dipodinae
Genus: Jaculus
Lesser Egyptian jerboa Jaculus jaculus LC
Greater Egyptian jerboa Jaculus orientalis LC
Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
Subfamily: Gerbillinae
Genus: Dipodillus
North African gerbil Dipodillus campestris LC
Genus: Gerbillus
Anderson's gerbil Gerbillus andersoni LR/lc
Lesser gerbil Gerbillus gerbillus LC
Pygmy gerbil Gerbillus henleyi LC
James's gerbil Gerbillus jamesi DD
Lataste's gerbil Gerbillus latastei DD
Balochistan gerbil Gerbillus nanus LC
Lesser short-tailed gerbil Gerbillus simoni LC
Tarabul's Gerbil Gerbillus tarabuli LC
Genus: Meriones
Libyan jird Meriones libycus LC
Shaw's jird Meriones shawi LC
Genus: Pachyuromys
Fat-tailed gerbil Pachyuromys duprasi LC
Genus: Psammomys
Sand rat Psammomys obesus LC
Thin sand rat Psammomys vexillaris DD
Subfamily: Murinae
Genus: Apodemus
Wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus LC
Genus: Lemniscomys
Barbary striped grass mouse Lemniscomys barbarus LC
Genus: Mus
Algerian mouse Mus spretus LC
Family: Ctenodactylidae
Genus: Ctenodactylus
Gundi Ctenodactylus gundi 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
African savanna hare Lepus microtis 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: Atelerix
North African hedgehog Atelerix algirus LR/lc
Genus: Hemiechinus
Desert hedgehog Hemiechinus aethiopicus 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
Greater white-toothed shrew Crocidura russula LC
Whitaker's shrew Crocidura whitakeri LC
Genus: Suncus
Etruscan shrew Suncus etruscus 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
Long-fingered bat Myotis capaccinii VU
Geoffroy's bat Myotis emarginatus VU
Felten's myotis Myotis punicus DD
Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
Genus: Eptesicus
Serotine bat Eptesicus serotinus LR/lc
Genus: Hypsugo
Savi's pipistrelle Hypsugo savii LR/lc
Genus: Otonycteris
Desert long-eared bat Otonycteris hemprichii LR/lc
Genus: Pipistrellus
Kuhl's pipistrelle Pipistrellus kuhlii LC
Common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus LC
Rüppell's pipistrelle Pipistrellus rueppelli LC
Genus: Plecotus
Canary big-eared bat Plecotus teneriffae DD
Subfamily: Miniopterinae
Genus: Miniopterus
Common bent-wing bat Miniopterus schreibersii LC
Family: Rhinopomatidae
Genus: Rhinopoma
Lesser mouse-tailed bat Rhinopoma hardwickei LC
Greater mouse-tailed bat Rhinopoma microphyllum 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
Lesser horseshoe bat Rhinolophus hipposideros LC
Mehely's horseshoe bat Rhinolophus mehelyi VU
Subfamily: Hipposiderinae
Genus: Asellia
Trident leaf-nosed bat Asellia tridens 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: Balaenopteridae
Genus: Balaenoptera
Common minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata LC
Fin whale Balaenoptera physalus EN
Subfamily: Megapterinae
Genus: Megaptera
Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae VU
Family: Balaenidae
Genus: Eubalaena
North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis CR (possible)
Suborder: Odontoceti
Superfamily: Platanistoidea
Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
Genus: Steno
Rough-toothed dolphin Steno bredanensis DD
Genus: Delphinus
Short-beaked common dolphin Delphinus delphis LR/lc
Genus: Orcinus
Orca Orcinus orca LR/cd
Genus: Pseudorca
False killer whale Pseudorca crassidens DD
Genus: Globicephala
Long-finned pilot whale Globicephala melas LR/lc
Genus: Grampus
Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus LC
Genus: Stenella
Striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba DD
Genus Tursiops
Common bottlenose dolphin 'Tursiops truncatus
Family Physeteridae (sperm whales)
Genus: Physeter
Sperm whale Physeter catodon VU
Superfamily Ziphioidea (beaked whales)
Family Ziphidae
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)
Subfamily: Felinae
Genus: Acinonyx
Northwest African cheetah Acinonyx jubatus hecki CR
Genus: Caracal
Caracal Caracal caracal LC
Genus: Felis
Wildcat Felis silvestris LC
Genus: Leptailurus
Serval Leptailurus serval LC
Subfamily: Pantherinae
Genus: Panthera
Barbary lion Panthera leo leo EW
African leopard Panthera pardus pardus NT
Family: Viverridae (civets, mongooses, etc.)
Subfamily: Viverrinae
Genus: Genetta
Common genet Genetta genetta LR/lc
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
Rüppell's fox Vulpes rueppelli DD
Red fox Vulpes vulpes LC
Fennec Vulpes zerda DD
Genus: Canis
African golden wolf Canis anthus NE
Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
Genus: Ictonyx
Saharan striped polecat Ictonyx libyca LR/lc
Genus: Lutra
European otter Lutra lutra NT
Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
Genus: Monachus
Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus CR
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
Family: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats)
Subfamily: Alcelaphinae
Genus: Alcelaphus
Hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus LR/cd
Subfamily: Antilopinae
Genus: Gazella
Cuvier's gazelle Gazella cuvieri EN
Dama gazelle Gazella dama CR
Dorcas gazelle Gazella dorcas VU
Rhim gazelle Gazella leptoceros EN
Subfamily: Caprinae
Genus: Ammotragus
Barbary sheep Ammotragus lervia VU
Subfamily: Hippotraginae
Genus: Addax
Addax Addax nasomaculatus CR
Genus: Oryx
Scimitar oryx Oryx dammah EW
