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List of mammals of the Cook Islands

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List of mammals of the Cook Islands

This is a list of the mammal species recorded in the Cook Islands. There are seven mammal species in the Cook Islands, of which one is labelled as being a vulnerable species.

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 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: Pteropus
  • Insular flying-fox, Pteropus tonganus LR/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
  • Subfamily: Megapterinae
  • Genus: Megaptera
  • Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae VU
  • Suborder: Odontoceti
  • Superfamily: Platanistoidea
  • Family: Ziphidae
  • Subfamily: Hyperoodontinae
  • Genus: Mesoplodon
  • Ginkgo-toothed beaked whale, Mesoplodon ginkgodens DD
  • Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
  • Genus: Stenella
  • Spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris LR/cd
  • Genus: Lagenodelphis
  • Fraser's dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei DD
  • Genus: Feresa
  • Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuata 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: Caniformia
  • Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
  • Genus: Hydrurga
  • Leopard seal, Hydrurga leptonyx LR/lc
  • References

    List of mammals of the Cook Islands Wikipedia


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