List of mammals of Poland
This list shows the IUCN Red List status of the 112 mammal species occurring in Poland which have been recorded in historic times. Of these, two are endangered, three are vulnerable, and five are near threatened. Three of the species listed for Poland are nationally extinct.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' 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, as the wild population comprises less than 250 individuals. | |
Endangered | The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction, as the wild population comprises less than 2500 individuals. | |
Vulnerable | The species is facing a high risk of extinction, as the wild population comprises less than 10000 individuals. | |
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. |
- † = a species extinct in Poland and not reintroduced
- ♠ = a sporadic vagrant, no records of breeding in Poland
- ◊ = an alien species, introduced in Poland from elsewhere
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.
- Suborder: Sciurognathi
- *Family: Castoridae
- **Genus: Castor
- *** Eurasian beaver, C. fiber
- *** American beaver, C. canadensis ◊ † LC
- *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
- ***** Speckled ground squirrel, Spermophilus suslicus VU
- *Family: Gliridae
- **Subfamily: Leithiinae
- ***Genus: Dryomys
- **** Forest dormouse, Dryomys nitedula LC
- ***Genus: Eliomys
- **** Garden dormouse, E. quercinus
- ***Genus: Muscardinus
- **** Hazel dormouse, Muscardinus avellanarius
- **Subfamily: Glirinae
- ***Genus: Glis
- **** Edible dormouse, Glis glis LC
- *Family: Dipodidae
- **Subfamily: Sicistinae
- ***Genus: Sicista
- **** Northern birch mouse, Sicista betulina LC
- **** Southern birch mouse, Sicista subtilis LC
- *Family: Cricetidae
- **Subfamily: Cricetinae
- ***Genus: Cricetus
- **** European hamster, Cricetus cricetus LC
- **Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- ***Genus: Ondatra
- **** Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus ◊ LC
- ***Genus: Arvicola
- **** European water vole, A. amphibius
- ***Genus: Chionomys
- **** Snow vole, Chionomys nivalis LC
- ***Genus: Clethrionomys
- **** Bank vole, Myodes glareolus LC
- ***Genus: Microtus
- **** Field vole, Microtus agrestis LC
- **** Common vole, Microtus arvalis LC
- **** Tundra vole, Microtus oeconomus LC
- **** European pine vole, Microtus subterraneus LC
- **** Tatra vole, Microtus tatricus NT
- *Family: Muridae
- **Subfamily: Murinae
- ***Genus: Apodemus
- **** Striped field mouse, Apodemus agrarius LC
- **** Yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis LC
- **** Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus LC
- **** Ural field mouse, Apodemus uralensis LC
- ***Genus: Micromys
- **** Eurasian harvest mouse, Micromys minutus LC
- ***Genus: Mus
- **** House mouse, Mus musculus LC
- ***Genus: Rattus
- **** Black rat, R. rattus
- **** Brown rat, R. norvegicus 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 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, L. europaeus
- ** Mountain hare, L. timidus LC
- *Genus: Oryctolagus
- **European rabbit, O. cuniculus introduced, in Iberian Peninsula
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
- **** Northern white-breasted hedgehog, E. roumanicus 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
- **** Bicolored shrew, Crocidura leucodon 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
- ***** Laxmann's shrew, Sorex caecutiens 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
- *** Whiskered bat, M. mystacinus LC
- *** Natterer's bat, M. nattereri LC
- *Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
- **Genus: Barbastella
- *** Barbastelle, B. barbastellus
- **Genus: Eptesicus
- *** Northern bat, Eptesicus nilssonii LC
- *** Serotine bat, Eptesicus serotinus LC
- **Genus: Nyctalus
- *** Lesser noctule, N. leisleri
- *** Common noctule, N. noctula
- *** Greater noctule bat, N. lasiopterus
- **Genus: Pipistrellus
- *** Nathusius' pipistrelle, P. nathusii
- *** Common pipistrelle, P. pipistrellus LC
- *** Soprano pipistrelle, P. pygmaeus
- *** Kuhl's pipistrelle, P. kuhlii ♠ LC
- **Genus: Plecotus
- *** Brown long-eared bat, Plecotus auritus LC
- *** Grey long-eared bat, Plecotus austriacus LC
- **Genus: Vespertilio
- *** Parti-coloured bat, Vespertilio murinus LC
- Family: Rhinolophidae
- *Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
- **Genus: Rhinolophus
- *** Greater horseshoe bat, R. ferrumequinum ♠ LC
- *** 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: Balaena
- *** North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis ♠ CR or functionally extinct in the eastern Atlantic
- *Family: Eschrichtiidae
- **Genus: Eschrichtius
- *** North Atlantic gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus ♠ EX
- *Family: Balaenopteridae
- **Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
- ***Genus: Balaenoptera
- **** Common minke whale, B. acutorostrata
- **** Sei whale, B. borealis ♠ EN
- **** Fin whale, B. physalus ♠ EN
- **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
- **Genus: Hyperoodon
- *** Northern bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus ♠ LC
- *Family: Delphinidae
- **Genus: Delphinus
- *** Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis ♠ LC
- **Genus: Lagenorhynchus
- *** White-beaked dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris ♠ LC
- **Genus: Tursiops
- *** Bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus ♠ 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 LC
- ***Genus: Lynx
- **** Eurasian lynx, L. lynx
- Suborder: Caniformia
- *Family: Canidae
- **Genus: Canis
- *** Gray wolf, C. lupus
- **Genus: Vulpes
- *** Red fox, V. vulpes
- **Genus: Nyctereutes
- *** Raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides ◊ LC
- *Family: Procyonidae
- **Genus: Procyon
- *** Raccoon, Procyon lotor ◊ LC
- *Family: Ursidae
- **Genus: Ursus
- *** Brown bear, U. arctos LC
- *Family: Mustelidae
- **Genus: Mustela
- *** Stoat, M. erminea LC
- *** Steppe polecat, M. eversmannii LC
- *** European mink, M. lutreola† EN
- *** American mink, M. vison ◊ LC
- *** Least weasel, M. nivalis LC
- *** European polecat, M. putorius LC
- **Genus: Martes
- *** Beech marten, M. foina
- *** Pine marten, M. martes LC
- **Genus: Meles
- *** Eurasian badger, M. meles
- **Genus: Lutra
- *** European otter, L. lutra
- *Family: Phocidae
- **Genus: Halichoerus
- *** Grey seal, H. grypus LC
- **Genus: Phoca
- *** Common seal, P. vitulina LC
- **Genus: Pusa
- *** Ringed seal, P. hispida LC
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
- ** Wild horse, Equus ferus† EW
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: Capreolinae
- **Genus: Alces
- *** Moose, Alces alces LC
- **Genus: Capreolus
- *** Roe deer, Capreolus capreolus LC
- **Genus: Cervus
- *** Red deer, Cervus elaphus LC
- *** Sika deer, Cervus nippon ◊ LC
- **Genus: Dama
- *** Fallow deer, D. dama
- Family: Bovidae
- *Subfamily: Bovinae
- **Genus: Bos
- *** Aurochs, Bos primigenius† EX
- **Genus: Bison
- *** Wisent, Bison bonasus EN
- *Subfamily: Caprinae
- **Genus: Rupicapra
- *** Chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra LC
- **Genus: Ovis
- *** Mouflon, O. musimon ◊ VU