List of mammals of Kazakhstan
This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan has 124 mammal species, of which one is critically endangered, five are endangered, twelve are vulnerable, and four are near threatened. One of the species listed for Kazakhstan can no longer be found in the wild.
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. |
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.
- Family: Hystricidae
- *Genus: Hystrix
- ** Indian porcupine, Hystrix indica LC
- Family: Sciuridae
- *Subfamily: Xerinae
- **Tribe: Xerini
- ***Genus: Spermophilopsis
- **** Long-clawed ground squirrel, Spermophilopsis leptodactylus LC
- ***Tribe: Marmotini
- ****Genus: Marmota
- ***** Gray marmot, Marmota baibacina Lc
- ***** Bobak marmot, Marmota bobak LC
- ***** Menzbier's marmot, Marmota menzbieri VU
- ****Genus: Spermophilus
- ***** Red-cheeked ground squirrel, Spermophilus erythrogenys LC
- ***** Yellow ground squirrel, Spermophilus fulvus LC
- ***** Russet ground squirrel, Spermophilus major LC
- ***** Little ground squirrel, Spermophilus pygmaeus LC
- ***** Tien Shan ground squirrel, Spermophilus relictus LC
- ***** Long-tailed ground squirrel, Spermophilus undulatus LC
- ****Genus: Tamias
- ***** Siberian chipmunk, Tamias sibiricus LC
- Family: Gliridae
- *Subfamily: Leithiinae
- **Genus: Dryomys
- *** Forest dormouse, Dryomys nitedula LC
- **Genus: Selevinia
- *** Desert dormouse, Selevinia betpakdalaensis EN
- Family: Dipodidae
- *Subfamily: Allactaginae
- **Genus: Allactaga
- *** Small five-toed jerboa, Allactaga elater LC
- *** Great jerboa, Allactaga major LC
- *** Severtzov's jerboa, Allactaga severtzovi LC
- *** Mongolian five-toed jerboa, Allactaga sibirica LC
- *** Vinogradov's jerboa, Allactaga vinogradovi LC
- **Genus: Pygeretmus
- *** Lesser fat-tailed jerboa, Pygeretmus platyurus LC
- *** Dwarf fat-tailed jerboa, Pygeretmus pumilio LC
- *** Greater fat-tailed jerboa, Pygeretmus shitkovi LC
- *Subfamily: Cardiocraniinae
- **Genus: Cardiocranius
- *** Five-toed pygmy jerboa, Cardiocranius paradoxus VU
- **Genus: Salpingotus
- *** Thick-tailed pygmy jerboa, Salpingotus crassicauda VU
- *** Heptner's pygmy jerboa, Salpingotus heptneri LC
- *** Pallid pygmy jerboa, Salpingotus pallidus LC
- *Subfamily: Dipodinae
- **Genus: Dipus
- *** Northern three-toed jerboa, Dipus sagitta LC
- **Genus: Eremodipus
- *** Lichtenstein's jerboa, Eremodipus lichtensteini LC
- **Genus: Paradipus
- *** Comb-toed jerboa, Paradipus ctenodactylus LC
- **Genus: Stylodipus
- *** Thick-tailed three-toed jerboa, Stylodipus telum LC
- *Subfamily: Sicistinae
- **Genus: Sicista
- *** Northern birch mouse, Sicista betulina LC
- *** Altai birch mouse, Sicista napaea LC
- *** Gray birch mouse, Sicista pseudonapaea DD
- *** Southern birch mouse, Sicista subtilis LC
- *** Tien Shan birch mouse, Sicista tianschanica LC
- Family: Spalacidae
- *Subfamily: Myospalacinae
- **Genus: Myospalax
- *** Siberian zokor, Myospalax myospalax LC
- *Subfamily: Spalacinae
- **Genus: Spalax
- *** Giant mole-rat, Spalax giganteus VU
- Family: Cricetidae
- *Subfamily: Cricetinae
- **Genus: Allocricetulus
- *** Eversmann's hamster, Allocricetulus eversmanni LC
- **Genus: Cricetulus
- *** Long-tailed dwarf hamster, Cricetulus longicaudatus LC
- **** Grey dwarf hamster, Cricetulus migratorius LC
- ***Genus: Cricetus
- **** European hamster, Cricetus cricetus LC
- ***Genus: Phodopus
- **** Roborovski hamster, Phodopus roborovskii LC
- **** Winter white Russian dwarf hamster, Phodopus sungorus LC
- *Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- **Genus: Alticola
- *** Flat-headed vole, Alticola strelzowi LC
- ***Genus: Clethrionomys
- **** Bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus LC
- **** Northern red-backed vole, Clethrionomys rutilus LC
- ***Genus: Ellobius
- **** Northern mole vole, Ellobius talpinus LC
- **** Zaisan mole vole, Ellobius tancrei LC
- ***Genus: Eolagurus
- **** Yellow steppe lemming, Eolagurus luteus LC
- ***Genus: Lagurus
- **** Steppe lemming, Lagurus lagurus LC
- ***Genus: Microtus
- **** Field vole, Microtus agrestis LC
- **** Tien Shan vole, Microtus kirgisorum LC
- **** Tundra vole, Microtus oeconomus LC
- **** Social vole, Microtus socialis LC
- Family: Muridae
- Subfamily: Gerbillinae
- *Genus: Meriones
- ** Libyan jird, Meriones libycus LC
- ** Midday jird, Meriones meridianus LC
- ** Tamarisk jird, Meriones tamariscinus LC
- *Genus: Rhombomys
- ** Great gerbil, Rhombomys opimus LC
- *Subfamily: Murinae
- **Genus: Apodemus
- *** Ural field mouse, Apodemus uralensis LC
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 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
- *Genus: Lepus
- ** European hare, L. europaeus
- ** Tolai hare, L tolai LC
- Family: Ochotonidae
- *Genus: Ochotona
- ** Alpine pika, O. alpina LC
- ** Large-eared pika, O. macrotis LC
- ** Steppe pika, O. pusilla VU
- ** Turkestan red pika, O. rutila 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: Hemiechinus
- *** Brandt's hedgehog, Hemiechinus hypomelas 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
- *** Gueldenstaedt's shrew, Crocidura gueldenstaedtii LC
- *** Lesser rock shrew, Crocidura serezkyensis LC
- *** Lesser white-toothed shrew, Crocidura suaveolens LC
- **Genus: Diplomesodon
- *** Piebald shrew, Diplomesodon pulchellum LC
- **Genus: Suncus
- *** Etruscan shrew, Suncus etruscus LC
- *Subfamily: Soricinae
- **Tribe: Nectogalini
- ***Genus: Neomys
- **** Eurasian water shrew, Neomys fodiens LC
- **Tribe: Soricini
- ***Genus: Sorex
- **** Tien Shan shrew, Sorex asper LC
- **** Laxmann's shrew, Sorex caecutiens LC
- **** Eurasian pygmy shrew, Sorex minutus LC
- Family: Talpidae
- *Subfamily: Talpinae
- **Tribe: Desmanini
- ***Genus: Desmana
- **** Russian desman, Desmana moschata VU
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
- *** Pond bat, M. dasycneme
- *** Lesser mouse-eared bat, M. blythii
- *** Brandt's bat, Myotis brandti LC
- *** Geoffroy's bat, Myotis emarginatus VU
- *Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
- **Genus: Eptesicus
- *** Bobrinski's serotine, Eptesicus bobrinskoi LC
- *** Botta's serotine, Eptesicus bottae 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
- *** Kuhl's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus kuhlii LC
- *** Common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus LC
- **Genus: Plecotus
- *** Grey long-eared bat, Plecotus austriacus LC
- Family: Rhinolophidae
- *Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
- **Genus: Rhinolophus
- *** Greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum LC
- *** Lesser horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus hipposideros LC
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.
- Family: Felidae
- *Subfamily: Felinae
- **Genus: Caracal
- *** Caracal, C. caracal
- **Genus: Felis
- *** Jungle cat, F. chaus
- *** Sand cat, F. margarita
- *** Asiatic wildcat, F. lybica ornata
- **Genus: Otocolobus
- *** Pallas's cat, O. manul
- **Genus: Lynx
- *** Eurasian lynx, L. lynx
- *Subfamily: Pantherinae
- **Genus: Panthera
- *** Snow leopard, Panthera uncia
- Family: Canidae
- *Genus: Vulpes
- ** Red fox, V. vulpes
- ** Corsac fox, Vulpes corsac LC
- *Genus: Canis
- ** Gray wolf, C. lupus
- *Genus: Cuon
- ** Dhole, C. alpinus
- Family: Ursidae
- *Genus: Ursus
- ** Brown bear, U. arctos
- Family: Mustelidae
- *Genus: Mustela
- ** European mink, M. lutreola
- ** Stoat, M. erminea
- ** Least weasel, M. nivalis
- ** Mountain weasel, M. altaica LC
- ** Steppe polecat, M. eversmannii LC
- *Genus: Vormela
- ** Marbled polecat, V. peregusna
- *Genus: Martes
- ** Beech marten, M. foina
- *Genus: Meles
- ** Asian badger, M. leucurus LC
- *Genus: Lutra
- ** European otter, L. lutra
- Family: Phocidae
- *Genus: Pusa
- ** Caspian seal, P. caspica VU
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
- ** Przewalski's horse, Equus ferus przewalskii EN
- ** Tarpan, Equus ferus ferus EX
- ** Mongolian wild ass, Equus hemionus hemionus NT
- ** Turkmenian kulan, Equus hemionus kulan EN
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: Camelidae
- *Genus: Camelus
- ** Wild Bactrian camel, Camelus ferus CR
- Family: Cervidae
- *Subfamily: Cervinae
- **Genus: Cervus
- *** Red deer, Cervus elaphus LC
- *Subfamily: Capreolinae
- **Genus: Alces
- *** Moose, Alces alces LC
- **Genus: Capreolus
- *** Siberian roe deer, Capreolus pygargus LC
- Family: Bovidae
- *Subfamily: Antilopinae
- **Genus: Gazella
- *** Goitered gazelle, Gazella subgutturosa VU
- **Genus: Procapra
- *** Zeren, Procapra gutturosa LC
- **Genus: Saiga
- *** Saiga antelope, S. tatarica
- *Subfamily: Caprinae
- **Genus: Capra
- *** Siberian ibex, C. sibrica LC
- **Genus: Ovis
- *** Argali, O. ammon VU