There are 27

mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

species native to Ireland or naturalised in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland before 1500. The Red List of Irish terrestrial mammals was updated in 2019, with assessments of these 27 species. One species is locally extinct, one is

vulnerable Vulnerable may refer to: General * Vulnerability * Vulnerability (computing) * Vulnerable adult * Vulnerable species Music Albums * ''Vulnerable'' (Marvin Gaye album), 1997 * ''Vulnerable'' (Tricky album), 2003 * ''Vulnerable'' (The Used album) ...

and 25 are least concern species. Not assessed were nine mammal species that were introduced after 1500. The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed on the IUCN Red List:

Order: Diprotodontia (kangaroos, wallabies, wombats and allies)

Though most marsupials make up a great part of the fauna in the Australian region, the red-necked wallaby has been introduced to Ireland: a population is currently breeding on Lambay island. *Family: Macropodidae (kangaroos, wallabies, and kin) **Genus: '' Notamacropus'' *** Red-necked wallaby, ''N. rufogriseus'' introduced

Order: Rodentia (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: Sciuridae (squirrels) ***Subfamily: Sciurinae ****Genus: '' Sciurus'' ***** Eastern grey squirrel, ''S. carolinensis'' introduced *****

Red squirrel The red squirrel (''Sciurus vulgaris'') is a species of tree squirrel in the genus ''Sciurus'' common throughout Europe and Asia. The red squirrel is an arboreal, primarily herbivorous rodent. In Great Britain, Ireland, and in Italy numbers ...

, ''S. vulgaris'' **Family: Cricetidae ***Subfamily: Arvicolinae ****Genus: '' Myodes'' *****

Bank vole The bank vole (''Myodes glareolus'') is a small vole with red-brown fur and some grey patches, with a tail about half as long as its body. A rodent, it lives in woodland areas and is around in length. The bank vole is found in much of Europe an ...

, ''M. glareolus'' introduced **Family:

Muridae The Muridae, or murids, are the largest family of rodents and of mammals, containing approximately 1,383 species, including many species of mice, rats, and gerbils found naturally throughout Eurasia, Africa, and Australia. The name Muridae come ...

(mice, rats, etc.) ***Subfamily: Murinae ****Genus: '' Apodemus'' ***** Wood mouse, ''A. sylvaticus'' ****Genus: ''

Mus Mus or MUS may refer to: Abbreviations * MUS, the NATO country code for Mauritius * MUS, the IATA airport code for Minami Torishima Airport * MUS, abbreviation for the Centre for Modern Urban Studies on Campus The Hague, Leiden University, Neth ...

'' *****

House mouse The house mouse (''Mus musculus'') is a small mammal of the order Rodentia, characteristically having a pointed snout, large rounded ears, and a long and almost hairless tail. It is one of the most abundant species of the genus '' Mus''. Althoug ...

, ''M. musculus'' ****Genus: '' Rattus'' ***** Brown rat, ''R. norvegicus'' introduced *****

Black rat The black rat (''Rattus rattus''), also known as the roof rat, ship rat, or house rat, is a common long-tailed rodent of the stereotypical rat genus ''Rattus'', in the subfamily Murinae. It likely originated in the Indian subcontinent, but is n ...

, ''R. rattus'' **Family: Gliridae ***Subfamily: Leithiinae ****Genus: '' Muscardinus'' ***** Hazel dormouse, ''M. avellanarius'' introduced *Suborder: Hystricomorpha **Family: Echimyidae (neotropical spiny rats) ***Subfamily:

Echimyinae Echimyinae is a subfamily of rodents belonging to the spiny rats family Echimyidae. It contains 14 arboreal genera—all the members of the tribe Echimyini, plus ''Callistomys''—a few terrestrial genera (''Thrichomys'', ''Hoplomys'', and ''Pro ...

****Genus: '' Myocastor'' ***** Coypu, ''M. coypus'' introduced

Order: Lagomorpha (lagomorphs)

The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (

hare Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores, and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The ge ...

s and

rabbit Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also contains the hares) of the order Lagomorpha (which also contains the pikas). ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' includes the European rabbit speci ...

s), and Ochotonidae ( pikas). Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a

superfamily SUPERFAMILY is a database and search platform of structural and functional annotation for all proteins and genomes. It classifies amino acid sequences into known structural domains, especially into SCOP superfamilies. Domains are functional, str ...

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 (rabbits, hares) **Genus: '' Lepus'' *** European hare, ''L. europaeus'' introduced *** Mountain hare, ''L. timidus'' **Genus: ''

Oryctolagus ''Oryctolagus'' is a genus of lagomorph that today contains the European rabbit and its descendant, the domestic rabbit, as well as several fossil species. The generic name derives from Ancient Greek ὀρυκτός (''oryktos'', “dug up”) ...

'' *** European rabbit, ''O. cuniculus'' introduced

Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)

The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and

gymnure Gymnures, also called hairy hedgehogs or moonrats, are mammals belonging to the subfamily Galericinae, in the family Erinaceidae and the order Eulipotyphla. Gymnures resemble rats but are not closely related as they are not rodents; they are ...

s. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats. *Family:

Erinaceidae Erinaceidae is a family in the order Eulipotyphla, consisting of the hedgehogs and moonrats. Until recently, it was assigned to the order Erinaceomorpha, which has been subsumed with the paraphyletic Soricomorpha into Eulipotyphla. Eulipotyphla ...

(hedgehogs) **Subfamily: Erinaceinae ***Genus: '' Erinaceus'' **** West European hedgehog, ''E. europaeus''

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 (shrews) **Subfamily: Soricinae ***Genus: '' Crocidura'' **** Greater white-toothed shrew, ''C. russula'' introduced ***Genus: '' Sorex'' ****

Eurasian pygmy shrew The Eurasian pygmy shrew (''Sorex minutus''), often known simply as the pygmy shrew, is a widespread shrew of the northern Palearctic. Description It measures about in length, not including the tail, and has an average weight of .The hair on t ...

, ''S. minutus'' introduced

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'' **** Brandt's bat, ''M. brandti'' **** Daubenton's bat, ''M. daubentonii'' **** Whiskered bat, ''M. mystacinus'' **** Natterer's bat, ''M. nattereri'' **Subfamily:

Vespertilioninae The Vespertilioninae are a subfamily of vesper bats from the family Vespertilionidae. Classification Subfamily Vespertilioninae *Tribe Antrozoini **Genus '' Antrozous'' *** Pallid bat, ''Antrozous pallidus'' **Genus ''Bauerus'' ***Van Gelder ...

***Genus: '' Nyctalus'' **** Lesser noctule, ''N. leisleri'' ***Genus: '' Pipistrellus'' **** Nathusius' pipistrelle, ''P. nathusii'' **** Common pipistrelle, ''P. pipistrellus'' **** Soprano pipistrelle, ''P. pygmaeus'' ***Genus: ''

Plecotus ''Plecotus'' is a genus of Vespertilionidae, vesper bat, commonly called long-eared bats. They are found throughout Eurasia and North Africa, northern Africa. Many species in the genus have only been described and recognized in recent years. Spe ...

'' **** Brown long-eared bat, ''P. auritus'' *Family: Rhinolophidae **Subfamily: Rhinolophinae ***Genus: '' Rhinolophus'' **** Lesser horseshoe bat, ''R. hipposideros''

Order:
Cetacea Cetacea (; , ) is an infraorder of aquatic mammals that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Key characteristics are their fully aquatic lifestyle, streamlined body shape, often large size and exclusively carnivorous diet. They propel them ...
(whales)

The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins, and

porpoise Porpoises are a group of fully aquatic marine mammals, all of which are classified under the family Phocoenidae, parvorder Odontoceti (toothed whales). Although similar in appearance to dolphins, they are more closely related to narwhals an ...

s. 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 Baleen whales (systematic name Mysticeti), also known as whalebone whales, are a parvorder of carnivorous marine mammals of the infraorder Cetacea (whales, dolphins and porpoises) which use keratinaceous baleen plates (or "whalebone") in their ...

**Family:

Balaenidae Balaenidae () is a family of whales of the parvorder Mysticeti that contains two living genera: the right whales (genus ''Eubalaena''), and in a separate genus, the closely related bowhead whale (genus ''Balaena''). Evolutionary history Bale ...

(right whales) ***Genus: '' Balaena'' ****

Bowhead whale The bowhead whale (''Balaena mysticetus'') is a species of baleen whale belonging to the family Balaenidae and the only living representative of the genus ''Balaena''. They are the only baleen whale endemic to the Arctic and subarctic waters, ...

, ''B. mysticetus'' vagrant ***Genus: '' Eubalaena'' **** North Atlantic right whale, ''E. glacialis'' **Family:

Balaenopteridae Rorquals () are the largest group of baleen whales, which comprise the family Balaenopteridae, containing ten extant species in three genera. They include the largest animal that has ever lived, the blue whale, which can reach , and the fin wha ...

(rorqual) ***Subfamily:

Balaenopterinae Rorquals () are the largest clade, group of baleen whales, which comprise the family (biology), family Balaenopteridae, containing ten extant taxon, extant species in three genus, genera. They include the largest animal that has ever lived, the b ...

****Genus: '' Balaenoptera'' ***** Common minke whale, ''B. acutorostrata'' *****

Sei whale The sei whale ( , ; ''Balaenoptera borealis'') is a baleen whale, the third-largest rorqual after the blue whale and the fin whale. It inhabits most oceans and adjoining seas, and prefers deep offshore waters. It avoids polar and tropical ...

, ''B. borealis'' ***** Blue whale, ''B. musculus'' ***** Fin whale, ''B. physalus'' **Family:

Megapterinae The humpback whale (''Megaptera novaeangliae'') is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the monotypic taxon, only species in the genus ''Megaptera''. Adults range in length from and weigh u ...

***Genus: '' Megaptera'' **** Humpback whale, ''Megaptera novaeangliae'' *Suborder:

Odontoceti The toothed whales (also called odontocetes, systematic name Odontoceti) are a parvorder of cetaceans that includes dolphins, porpoises, and all other whales possessing teeth, such as the beaked whales and sperm whales. Seventy-three species of ...

**Superfamily: Platanistoidea ***Family: Monodontidae (narwhals) ****Genus: '' Delphinapterus'' ***** Beluga, ''Delphinapterus leucas'' vagrant ***Family: Phocoenidae (porpoises) ****Genus: '' Phocoena'' ***** Harbour porpoise, ''Phocoena phocoena'' ***Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales) ****Genus: '' Physeter'' *****

Sperm whale The sperm whale or cachalot (''Physeter macrocephalus'') is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator. It is the only living member of the genus ''Physeter'' and one of three extant species in the sperm whale famil ...

, ''Physeter macrocephalus'' ***Family:

Kogiidae Kogiidae is a family comprising at least two extant species of Cetacea, the Pygmy sperm whale, pygmy (''Kogia breviceps)'' and dwarf sperm whale, dwarf (''K. sima)'' sperm whales. As their common names suggest, they somewhat resemble sperm whales ...

****Genus: '' Kogia'' ***** Pygmy sperm whale, ''Kogia breviceps'' ***Family:

Ziphidae Beaked whales (systematic name Ziphiidae) are a family of cetaceans noted as being one of the least known groups of mammals because of their deep-sea habitat and apparent low abundance. Only three or four of the 24 species are reasonably well-k ...

(beaked whales) ****Genus: '' Ziphius'' ***** Cuvier's beaked whale, ''Ziphius cavirostris'' ***Subfamily: Hyperoodontinae ****Genus: '' Hyperoodon'' ***** Northern bottlenose whale, ''Hyperoodon ampullatus'' ****Genus: '' Mesoplodon'' ***** Sowerby's beaked whale, ''Mesoplodon bidens'' *****

Gervais' beaked whale Gervais's beaked whale (''Mesoplodon europaeus''), sometimes known as the Antillean beaked whale, Gulf Stream beaked whale, or European beaked whale (from which its scientific name is derived) is the most frequently stranding type of mesoplodont ...

, ''Mesoplodon europaeus'' ***** True's beaked whale, ''Mesoplodon mirus'' ***Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins) **** Genus: '' Lagenorhynchus'' ***** White-beaked dolphin, ''Lagenorhynchus albirostris'' **** Genus: '' Leucopleurus'' ***** Atlantic white-sided dolphin, ''Leucopleurus acutus'' ****Genus: '' Delphinus'' ***** Short-beaked common dolphin, ''Delphinus delphis'' ****Genus: ''

Tursiops Bottlenose dolphins are aquatic mammals in the genus ''Tursiops.'' They are common, cosmopolitan members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins. Molecular studies show the genus definitively contains two species: the common ...

'' ***** Common bottlenose dolphin, ''Tursiops truncatus'' ****Genus: ''

Stenella ''Stenella'' is a genus of marine mammals in Delphinidae, the family informally known as the oceanic dolphins. Species Currently, five species are recognised in this genus: The common name for species in this genus is the "spotted dolphins" o ...

'' ***** Striped dolphin, ''Stenella coeruleoalba'' ****Genus: '' Grampus'' ***** Risso's dolphin, ''Grampus griseus'' ****Genus: '' Globicephala'' ***** Long-finned pilot whale, ''Globicephala melas'' ****Genus: '' Pseudorca'' ***** False killer whale, ''Pseudorca crassidens'' ****Genus: '' Orcinus'' ***** Orca, ''Orcinus orca''

Order:
Carnivora Carnivora is a Clade, monophyletic order of Placentalia, placental mammals consisting of the most recent common ancestor of all felidae, cat-like and canidae, dog-like animals, and all descendants of that ancestor. Members of this group are f ...
(carnivorans)

Carnivorans include over 260 species, the majority of which eat meat as their primary dietary item. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition. *Suborder:

Caniformia Caniformia is a suborder within the order Carnivora consisting of "dog-like" carnivorans. They include dogs (wolves, foxes, etc.), bears, raccoons, and mustelids. The Pinnipedia (seals, walruses and sea lions) are also assigned to this group. ...

**Family:

Canidae Canidae (; from Latin, ''canis'', "dog") is a biological family of dog-like carnivorans, colloquially referred to as dogs, and constitutes a clade. A member of this family is also called a canid (). There are three subfamilies found within th ...

(dogs, foxes) ***Genus: '' Vulpes'' ****

Red fox The red fox (''Vulpes vulpes'') is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the Order (biology), order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere including most of North America, Europe ...

, ''V. vulpes'' **Family: Mustelidae (mustelids) ***Genus: '' Lutra'' **** European otter, ''L. lutra'' ***Genus: '' Martes'' **** European pine marten, ''M. martes'' ***Genus: '' Meles'' **** European badger, ''M. meles'' ***Genus: '' Mustela'' **** Stoat, ''M. erminea'' ***** Irish stoat, ''M. e. hibernica'' ***Genus: '' Neogale'' **** American mink, ''N. vison'' introduced **Family: Phocidae (earless seals) ***Genus: '' Cystophora'' **** Hooded seal, ''C. cristatus'' vagrant ***Genus: '' Erignathus'' ****

Bearded seal The bearded seal (''Erignathus barbatus''), also called the square flipper seal, is a medium-sized pinniped that is found in and near to the Arctic Ocean. It gets its generic name from two Greek words (''eri'' and ''gnathos'') that refer to its h ...

, ''E. barbatus'' vagrant ***Genus: ''

Halichoerus The grey seal (''Halichoerus grypus'') is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. In Latin Halichoerus grypus means "hook-nosed sea pig". It is a large pinniped, seal of the family (biology), family Phocidae, which are commonly refer ...

'' **** Grey seal, ''H. grypus'' ***Genus: ''

Pagophilus The harp seal (''Pagophilus groenlandicus''), also known as Saddleback Seal or Greenland Seal, is a species of earless seal, or true seal, native to the northernmost Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean. Originally in the genus ''Phoca'' with a number ...

'' **** Harp seal, '' P. groenlandicus'' vagrant ***Genus: '' Phoca'' **** Common seal, ''P. vitulina'' ***Genus: '' Pusa'' **** Ringed seal, ''P. hispida'' vagrant **Family: Odobenidae (walruses) ***Genus: '' Odobenus'' **** Walrus, ''O. rosmarus'' presence uncertain, vagrant

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: Cervidae (deer) **Subfamily: Capreolinae ***Genus: '' Capreolus'' **** Roe deer, ''C. capreolus'' introduced **Subfamily: Cervinae ***Genus: '' Cervus'' **** Red deer, ''C. elaphus'' reintroduced **** Sika deer, ''C. nippon'' introduced ***Genus: ''

Dama Dama or DAMA may refer to: Animals *Dama gazelle (''Nanger dama'') * ''Dama'' (genus) (fallow deer) **Fallow deer (''Dama dama'') **Persian fallow deer (''Dama mesopotamica'') *Tammar wallaby or Dama wallaby (''Macropus eugenii'') Business, scie ...

'' **** European fallow deer, ''D. dama'' introduced ***Genus: ''

Muntiacus Muntjacs ( ), also known as the barking deer or rib-faced deer, (URL is Google Books) are small deer of the genus ''Muntiacus'' native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. Muntjacs are thought to have begun appearing 15–35 million years ago, ...

'' ****

Reeves's muntjac Reeves's muntjac (''Muntiacus reevesi''; ), also known as the Chinese muntjac, is a muntjac species found widely in southeastern China (from Gansu to Yunnan) and Taiwan. It has also been introduced in Europe, western United States and Japan. It ...

, ''M. reevesi'' introduced

Locally extinct

The following species are locally extinct in the country: * Wolf, ''Canis lupus'', see Wolves in Ireland * Eurasian lynx, ''Lynx lynx'' * Reindeer, ''Rangifer tarandus'' * Wild boar, ''Sus scrofa'' * Brown bear, ''Ursus arctos'', see

Bears in Ireland Bears were once common in Ireland but are now extinct on the island, having died out in the 1st millennium BC. History The brown bear (''Ursus arctos'') lived in Ireland, eating red deer, wild boar, Irish hare and Atlantic salmon. Bears in ...

Comparison with Great Britain

The following species are found in Great Britain but not in Ireland: * Field vole, ''Microtus agrestis'' * Common vole, ''M. arvalis'' * Water vole, ''Arvicola terrestris'' * Harvest mouse, ''Micromys minutus'' * Yellow-necked mouse, ''A. flavicollis'' * Edible dormouse, ''Glis glis'' * European mole, ''Talpa europaea'' * Common shrew, ''Sorex araneus'' * Eurasian water shrew, ''Neomys fodiens'' *

Lesser white-toothed shrew The lesser white-toothed shrew (''Crocidura suaveolens'') is a tiny shrew with a widespread distribution in Africa, Asia and Europe. Its preferred habitat is scrub and gardens and it feeds on insects, arachnids, worms, gastropods, newts and sm ...

, ''Crocidura suaveolens'' * Greater horseshoe bat, ''Rhinolophus ferrumequinum'' * Greater mouse-eared bat, ''Myotis myotis'' * Bechstein's bat, ''M. bechsteini'' * Parti-coloured bat, ''Vespertilio murinus'' * Serotine bat, ''Eptesicus serotinus'' * Northern bat, ''E. nilssoni'' * Common noctule, ''Nyctalus noctula'' * Barbastelle, ''Barbastella barbastellus'' * Grey long-eared bat, ''Plecotus austriacus'' *

Least weasel The least weasel (''Mustela nivalis''), little weasel, common weasel, or simply weasel is the smallest member of the genus '' Mustela,'' family Mustelidae and order Carnivora. It is native to Eurasia, North America and North Africa, and has bee ...

, ''Mustela nivalis'' * European polecat, ''M. putorius'' * European wildcat, ''Felis silvestris'' * Wild boar, ''Sus scrofa'' * Water deer, ''Hydropotes inermis'' introduced c. 1896 * Eurasian beaver, ''Castor fiber'' reintroduced 2009

References

External links

* * *Smiddy, P. 1999 Re-assessment of the Irish records of ringed, harp and hooded seals. ''

Irish Naturalists' Journal The ''Irish Naturalists' Journal'' () is a scientific journal covering all aspects of natural history. It has been published since 1925. It was predecessed by ''The Irish Naturalist'' (1892−1924). References External links *''The Irish Na ...

'' 26: 249-250
Ulster Museum
Northern Ireland Mammals, Amphibians and Reptiles. Includes more extinct mammals.
NPWS
Breeding populations of Grey seals in the Republic of Ireland
Irish Whale and Dolphin Group
* ttps://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/RL3.pdf br>Species Profile Browser · Species Profile
{{Europe topic, List of mammals of, IE=List of mammals of Ireland Ireland Mammals Mammals Ireland