List of mammals of Germany
This list shows the IUCN Red List status of mammal species recorded in Germany. One of them is critically endangered, three are endangered, and several are near threatened. One of the species listed for Germany can no longer be found in the wild.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' IUCN Red List status as published 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. |
Critically endangered | The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild. | |
Endangered | The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. | |
Vulnerable | The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. | |
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. | |
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. |
♣ | Introduced |
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 of South America can weigh up to.
- Suborder: Sciurognathi
- *Family: Castoridae
- **Genus: Castor
- *** Eurasian beaver, C. fiber
- *Family: Sciuridae
- **Subfamily: Sciurinae
- ***Tribe: Sciurini
- ****Genus: Sciurus
- ***** Red squirrel, S. vulgaris
- **Subfamily: Xerinae
- ***Tribe: Marmotini
- ****Genus: Marmota
- ***** Alpine marmot, Marmota marmota LC
- ****Genus: Spermophilus
- ***** European ground squirrel, Spermophilus citellus VU
- *Family: Gliridae
- **Subfamily: Leithiinae
- ***Genus: Dryomys
- **** Forest dormouse, Dryomys nitedula LC
- ***Genus: Eliomys
- **** Garden dormouse, E. quercinus
- ***Genus: Muscardinus
- **** Hazel dormouse, Muscardinus avellanarius LC
- **Subfamily: Glirinae
- ***Genus: Glis
- **** Edible dormouse, Glis glis LC
- *Family: Cricetidae
- **Subfamily: Cricetinae
- ***Genus: Cricetus
- **** European hamster, Cricetus cricetus LC
- **Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- ***Genus: Arvicola
- **** European water vole, A. amphibius
- ***Genus: Clethrionomys
- **** Bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus LC
- **** Grey red-backed vole, Clethrionomys rufocanus LC
- ***Genus: Microtus
- **** Field vole, Microtus agrestis LC
- **** Common vole, Microtus arvalis LC
- **** Bavarian pine vole, Microtus bavaricus DD
- **** Tundra vole, Microtus oeconomus LC
- **** European pine vole, Microtus subterraneus LC
- *Family: Muridae
- **Subfamily: Murinae
- ***Genus: Mus
- **** House mouse, M. musculus
- ***Genus: Apodemus
- **** Yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis
- **** Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus
- **** Striped field mouse, Apodemus agrarius
- ***Genus: Micromys
- **** Eurasian harvest mouse, Micromys minutus
- ***Genus: Rattus
- **** Brown rat, R. norvegicus
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: Oryctolagus
- **European rabbit, O. cuniculus introduced, in Iberian Peninsula
- *Genus: Lepus
- **European hare, L. europaeus
- ** Mountain hare, L. timidus 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, E. europaeus LC
Order: [Soricomorpha] (shrews, moles, and solenodons)
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. Shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice, while moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
- Family: Soricidae
- *Subfamily: Crocidurinae
- **Genus: Crocidura
- *** Bicolored shrew, Crocidura leucodon LC
- *** Greater white-toothed shrew, Crocidura russula LC
- *** Lesser white-toothed shrew, Crocidura suaveolens LC
- *Subfamily: Soricinae
- **Tribe: Nectogalini
- ***Genus: Neomys
- **** Southern water shrew, Neomys anomalus LC
- **** Eurasian water shrew, Neomys fodiens LC
- **Tribe: Soricini
- ***Genus: Sorex
- **** Alpine shrew, Sorex alpinus LC
- **** Common shrew, Sorex araneus LC
- **** Crowned shrew, Sorex coronatus LC
- **** Eurasian pygmy shrew, Sorex minutus LC
- Family: Talpidae
- *Subfamily: Talpinae
- **Tribe: Talpini
- ***Genus: Talpa
- **** European mole, Talpa europaea 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
- *** Bechstein's bat, M. bechsteini
- *** Pond bat, M. dasycneme
- *** Greater mouse-eared bat, M. myotis
- *** Lesser mouse-eared bat, M. blythii
- *** Brandt's bat, M. brandti LC
- *** Daubenton's bat, M. daubentonii LC
- *** Geoffroy's bat, M. emarginatus VU
- *** Whiskered bat, M. mystacinus LC
- *** Natterer's bat, M. nattereri LC
- *Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
- **Genus: Barbastella
- *** Barbastelle, Barbastella barbastellus VU
- **Genus: Eptesicus
- *** Northern bat, Eptesicus nilssoni LC
- *** Serotine bat, Eptesicus serotinus LC
- **Genus: Hypsugo
- *** Savi's pipistrelle, H. savii
- **Genus: Nyctalus
- *** Greater noctule bat, N. lasiopterus
- *** Lesser noctule, N. leisleri
- *** Common noctule, N. noctula
- **Genus: Pipistrellus
- *** Nathusius' pipistrelle, P. nathusii
- *** Common pipistrelle, P. pipistrellus LC
- **Genus: Plecotus
- *** Brown long-eared bat, P. auritus LC
- *** Grey long-eared bat, P. austriacus LC
- **Genus: Vespertilio
- *** Parti-coloured bat, V. murinus LC
- Family: Molossidae
- *Genus: Tadarida
- ** European free-tailed bat, T. teniotis LC
- Family: Rhinolophidae
- *Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
- **Genus: Rhinolophus
- *** Greater horseshoe bat, R. ferrumequinum NT
- *** Lesser horseshoe bat, R. hipposideros 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: Eubalaena
- *** North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis CR or functionally extinct in the eastern Atlantic
- *Family: Eschrichtiidae
- *Family: Balaenopteridae
- **Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
- ***Genus: Balaenoptera
- **** Common minke whale, B. acutorostrata
- **** Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis EN
- **** Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus EN
- **** Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus EN
- *Family: Megapterinae
- **Genus: Megaptera
- *** Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae LC
- Suborder: Odontoceti
- *Superfamily: Platanistoidea
- **Family: Monodontidae
- ***Genus: Monodon
- **** Narwhal, Monodon monoceros DD
- ***Genus: Delphinapterus
- **** Beluga whale, Delphinapterus leucas NT
- **Family: Phocoenidae
- ***Genus: Phocoena
- **** Harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena LC or VU
- **Family: Physeteridae
- ***Genus: Physeter
- **** Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus VU
- **Family: Kogiidae
- ***Genus: Kogia
- **** Pygmy sperm whale, K. breviceps DD
- **Family: Ziphidae
- ***Genus: Ziphius
- **** Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris DD
- **Subfamily: Hyperoodontinae
- ***Genus: Hyperoodon
- **** North Atlantic Bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus DD
- ***Genus: Mesoplodon
- **** Sowerby's beaked whale, Mesoplodon bidens DD
- **Family: Delphinidae
- ***Genus: Delphis
- **** Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis LC
- ***Genus: Tursiops
- **** Bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus DD
- ***Genus: Stenella
- **** Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba LC
- ***Genus: Lagenorhynchus
- **** Atlantic white-sided dolphin, Lagenorhynchus acutus LC
- **** White-beaked dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris LC
- ***Genus: Grampus
- **** Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus DD
- ***Genus: Globicephala
- **** Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas LC
- ***Genus: Pseudorca
- **** False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens DD
- ***Genus: Orcinus
- **** Orca, O. 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: Felis
- **** European wildcat, F. silvestris
- ***Genus: Lynx
- **** Eurasian lynx, L. lynx
- Suborder: Caniformia
- *Family: Canidae
- **Genus: Canis
- *** Gray wolf, C. lupus
- **** Eurasian wolf, C. l. lupus
- **Genus: Vulpes
- *** Red fox, V. vulpes
- *Family: Ursidae
- **Genus: Ursus
- *** Brown bear, U. arctos
- **** Eurasian brown bear, U. a. arctos
- *Family: Mustelidae
- **Genus: Martes
- *** Beech marten, M. foina
- *** European pine marten, M. martes
- **Genus: Mustela
- *** European mink, M. lutreola
- *** Stoat, M. erminea
- *** Least weasel, M. nivalis
- *** European polecat, M. putorius
- **Genus: Meles
- *** Eurasian badger, M. meles
- **Genus: Lutra
- *** European otter, L. lutra
- *Family: Odobenidae
- **Genus: Odobenus
- *** Walrus, Odobenus rosmarus VU
- *Family: Phocidae
- **Genus: Halichoerus
- *** Grey seal, Halichoerus grypus LC
- **Genus: Phoca
- *** Harbor seal, Phoca vitulina LC
- **Genus: Pusa
- *** Ringed seal, Pusa hispida LC
- *Family: Procyonidae
- **Genus: Procyon
- *** Raccoon, Procyon lotor ♣ LC introduced
Order: [Perissodactyla] (odd-toed ungulates)
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
- *Genus: Equus
- ** Tarpan, Equus ferus ferus EX
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.
- Family: Suidae
- *Subfamily: Suinae
- **Genus: Sus
- *** Wild boar, S. scrofa LC
- Family: Cervidae
- *Subfamily: Cervinae
- **Genus: Cervus
- *** Red deer, C. elaphus LC
- **Genus: Dama
- *** Fallow deer, D. dama
- *Subfamily: Capreolinae
- **Genus: Capreolus
- *** Roe deer, C. capreolus
- Family: Bovidae
- *Subfamily: Caprinae
- **Genus: Capra
- *** Alpine ibex, C. ibex LC
- **Genus: Rupicapra
- *** Chamois, R. rupicapra LC
- **Genus: Bison
- *** European bison, B. bonasus VU