List of mammals of Finland
This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Finland. There are sixty-one mammal species in Finland, of which, one is endangered, three are vulnerable, and five are near threatened.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:
EX | Extinct | No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. |
EW | Extinct in the wild | Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range. |
CR | Critically endangered | The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild. |
EN | Endangered | The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. |
VU | Vulnerable | The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. |
NT | Near threatened | The species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to do so in the future. |
LC | Least concern | There are no current identifiable risks to the species. |
DD | Data deficient | There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species. |
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:
LR/cd | Lower risk/conservation dependent | Species which were the focus of conservation programmes and may have moved into a higher risk category if that programme was discontinued. |
LR/nt | Lower risk/near threatened | Species which are close to being classified as vulnerable but are not the subject of conservation programmes. |
LR/lc | Lower risk/least concern | Species for which there are no identifiable risks. |
Subclass: [Theria]
Infraclass: [Eutheria]
Order: [Rodent]ia (rodents)
----Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to.
- Suborder: Sciurognathi
- *Family: Castoridae
- ***Genus: Castor
- **** European beaver, Castor fiber NT
- *Family: Sciuridae
- **Subfamily: Sciurinae
- ***Tribe: Sciurini
- ****Genus: Sciurus
- ***** Red squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris NT
- ***Tribe: Pteromyini
- ****Genus: Pteromys
- ***** Siberian flying squirrel, Pteromys volans LR/nt
- *Family: Gliridae
- **Subfamily: Leithiinae
- ***Genus: Eliomys
- **** Garden dormouse, Eliomys quercinus VU
- *Family: Dipodidae
- **Subfamily: Sicistinae
- ***Genus: Sicista
- **** Northern birch mouse, Sicista betulina LR/nt
- *Family: Cricetidae
- **Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- ***Genus: Arvicola
- **** Water vole, Arvicola terrestris LR/lc
- ***Genus: Clethrionomys
- **** Bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus LR/lc
- **** Grey red-backed vole, Clethrionomys rufocanus LR/lc
- **** Northern red-backed vole, Clethrionomys rutilus LR/lc
- ***Genus: Lemmus
- **** Norway lemming, Lemmus lemmus LR/lc
- ***Genus: Microtus
- **** Field vole, Microtus agrestis LR/lc
- **** Common vole, Microtus arvalis LR/lc
- **** Tundra vole, Microtus oeconomus LC
- **** Southern vole, Microtus rossiaemeridionalis LR/lc
- ***Genus: Myopus
- **** Wood lemming, Myopus schisticolor NT
- *Family: Muridae
- **Subfamily: Murinae
- ***Genus: Apodemus
- **** Striped field mouse, Apodemus agrarius LR/lc
- **** Yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis LR/lc
- ***Genus: Micromys
- **** Harvest mouse, Micromys minutus LR/nt
Order: [Lagomorpha] (lagomorphs)
The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae, and Ochotonidae. Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early twentieth 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
- *Genus: Lepus
- ** European hare, Lepus europaeus LR/lc
- ** Mountain hare, Lepus timidus LR/lc
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
- *Subfamily: Erinaceinae
- **Genus: Erinaceus
- *** West European hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus LR/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
- *Subfamily: Crocidurinae
- **Genus: Crocidura
- *** Lesser white-toothed shrew, Crocidura suaveolens LR/lc
- *Subfamily: Soricinae
- **Tribe: Nectogalini
- ***Genus: Neomys
- **** Eurasian water shrew, Neomys fodiens LR/lc
- **Tribe: Soricini
- ***Genus: Sorex
- **** Common shrew, Sorex araneus LR/lc
- **** Laxmann's shrew, Sorex caecutiens LR/lc
- **** Taiga shrew, Sorex isodon LR/lc
- **** Eurasian least shrew, Sorex minutissimus LR/lc
- **** Eurasian pygmy shrew, Sorex minutus LR/lc
- Family: Talpidae
- *Subfamily: Talpinae
- **Tribe: Talpini
- ***Genus: Talpa
- **** European mole, Talpa europaea LR/lc
Order: [Chiroptera] (bats)
The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.
- Family: Vespertilionidae
- *Subfamily: Myotinae
- **Genus: Myotis
- *** Daubenton's bat, Myotis daubentonii LR/lc
- *** Whiskered bat, Myotis mystacinus LR/lc
- *** Natterer's bat, Myotis nattereri LR/lc
- *Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
- **Genus: Eptesicus
- *** Northern bat, Eptesicus nilssoni LR/lc
- **Genus: Plecotus
- *** Brown long-eared bat, Plecotus auritus LR/lc
- **Genus: Vespertilio
- *** Parti-coloured bat, Vespertilio murinus LR/lc
- Family: Molossidae
- *Genus: Tadarida
- ** European free-tailed bat, Tadarida teniotis LR/lc
Order: [Cetacea] (whales)
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
- **Genus: Balaena
- *** North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis CR or functionally extinct in Eastern Atlantic
- *Family: Eschrichtiidae
- **Genus: Eschrichtius
- *** North Atlantic gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus EX
- *Family: Balaenopteridae
- **Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
- ***Genus: Balaenoptera
- **** Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus EN
- **** Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata LC
- **Subfamily: Megapterinae
- ***Genus: Megaptera
- **** Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae LC
- Suborder: Odontoceti
- *Family: Phocoenidae
- **Genus: Phocoena
- *** Harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena VU
- *Family: Monodontidae
- **Genus: Delphinapterus
- *** Beluga, Delphinapterus leucas VU
- *Family: Ziphidae
- **Genus: Mesoplodon
- *** Sowerby's beaked whale, Mesoplodon bidens DD
- *Family: Delphinidae
- **Genus: Lagenorhynchus
- *** White-beaked dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris LR/lc
- **Genus: Tursiops
- *** Bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus DD
- ***Genus: Grampus
- **** Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus DD
- ***Genus: Orcinus
- **** Orca, Orcinus orca DD
Order: [Carnivora] (carnivorans)
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
- **Subfamily: Felinae
- ***Genus: Lynx
- **** Eurasian lynx, Lynx lynx NT
- Suborder: Caniformia
- *Family: Canidae
- **Genus: Alopex
- *** Arctic fox, Alopex lagopus LC
- **Genus: Vulpes
- *** Red fox, Vulpes vulpes LC
- **Genus: Canis
- *** Gray wolf, Canis lupus LC
- *Family: Ursidae
- **Genus: Ursus
- *** Brown bear, Ursus arctos LR/lc
- *Family: Mustelidae
- **Genus: Gulo
- *** Wolverine, Gulo gulo VU
- **Genus: Lutra
- *** European otter, Lutra lutra NT
- **Genus: Mustela
- *** Stoat, Mustela erminea LR/lc
- *** European mink, Mustela lutreola EN
- *** Least weasel, Mustela nivalis LR/lc
- *** European polecat, Mustela putorius LR/lc
- **Genus: Martes
- *** Pine marten, Martes martes LR/lc
- *** Sable, Martes zibellina LR/lc
- **Genus: Meles
- *** Eurasian badger, Meles meles LR/lc
- **Genus: Neovison
- *** American mink, Neovison vison EN
- **Genus: Nyctereutes
- *** Raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides
- *Family: Odobenidae
- **Genus: Odobenus
- *** Walrus, Odobenus rosmarus LR/lc
- *Family: Phocidae
- **Genus: Halichoerus
- *** Grey seal, Halichoerus grypus LR/lc
- **Genus: Pagophilus
- *** Harp seal, Pagophilus groenlandicus LR/lc
- **Genus: Pusa
- *** Ringed seal, Pusa hispida LR/lc
Order: [Artiodactyla] (even-toed ungulates)
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.