This list of mammals of Minnesota includes the mammals native to Minnesota. It also shows their status in the wild. There are 81 native and 5 introduced mammal species found in the state.

American bison The American bison (''Bison bison'') is a species of bison native to North America. Sometimes colloquially referred to as American buffalo or simply buffalo (a different clade of bovine), it is one of two extant species of bison, alongside the ...

caribou Reindeer (in North American English, known as caribou if wild and ''reindeer'' if domesticated) are deer in the genus ''Rangifer''. For the last few decades, reindeer were assigned to one species, ''Rangifer tarandus'', with about 10 subspe ...

, and wolverines were extirpated from the state. Minnesota does not have a state mammal but several have been proposed: The northern white tailed deer was proposed eight times, the eastern wolf was proposed six times, the

American black bear The American black bear (''Ursus americanus''), also called simply a black bear or sometimes a baribal, is a medium-sized bear endemic to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most widely distributed bear species. American black bear ...

and

thirteen-lined ground squirrel The thirteen-lined ground squirrel (''Ictidomys tridecemlineatus''), also known as the striped gopher, leopard ground squirrel, squinney, (formerly known as the leopard-spermophile in the age of Audubon), is a ground squirrel that is widely distr ...

were each proposed once. The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the

International Union for Conservation of Nature The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

; those on the left are used here, those in the second column in some other articles:

Didelphimorphs

Opossums

* Virginia opossum, ''Didelphis virginiana''

Rodents Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are nat ...

Squirrels

* Northern flying squirrel, ''Glaucomys sabrinus'' * Southern flying squirrel, ''Glaucomys volans'' * Woodchuck, ''Marmota monax'' *

Least chipmunk The least chipmunk (''Neotamias minimus'') is the smallest species of chipmunk and the most widespread in North America. Description It is the smallest species of chipmunk, measuring about in total length with a weight of . The body is gray to ...

, ''Neotamias minimus'' * Eastern gray squirrel, ''Sciurus carolinensis'' * Fox squirrel, ''Sciurus niger'' * Franklin's ground squirrel, ''Spermophilus franklinii'' *

Richardson's ground squirrel Richardson's ground squirrel (''Urocitellus richardsonii''), also known as the dakrat or flickertail, is a North American ground squirrel in the genus ''Urocitellus''. Like a number of other ground squirrels, they are sometimes called prairie do ...

, ''Spermophilus richardsonii'' * Thirteen-lined ground squirrel, ''Spermophilus tridecemlineatus'' * Eastern chipmunk, ''Tamias striatus'' *

American red squirrel The American red squirrel (''Tamiasciurus hudsonicus'') is one of three species of tree squirrels currently classified in the genus ''Tamiasciurus'', known as the pine squirrels (the others are the Douglas squirrel, ''T. douglasii'', and the sou ...

, ''Tamiasciurus hudsonicus'' * Black-tailed prairie dog, ''Cynomys ludovicianus'' introduced

Beavers

* American beaver, ''Castor canadensis''

Gophers

* Plains pocket gopher, ''Geomys bursarius'' * Northern pocket gopher, ''Thomomys talpoides''

Pocket mice

Plains pocket mouse The plains pocket mouse (''Perognathus flavescens'') is a heteromyid rodent of North America.Monk, R. Richard, and J. Knox Jones.Perognathus flavescens" Mammalian Species 525 (1996): 1-4. It ranges from southwestern Minnesota and southeastern N ...

, ''Perognathus flavescens''

Cricetids

Eastern deer mouse ''Peromyscus maniculatus'' is a rodent native to eastern North America. It is most commonly called the eastern deer mouse; when formerly grouped with the western deer mouse (''P. sonoriensis''), it was referred to as the North American deermous ...

, ''Peromyscus maniculatus'' * White-footed mouse, ''Peromyscus leucopus'' *

Western deer mouse The western deermouse or western deer mouse (''Peromyscus sonoriensis'') is a rodent native to North America. It is widespread throughout the western half of the continent, mainly in areas west of the Mississippi River. Taxonomy It was formerl ...

, ''Peromyscus sonoriensis'' *

Western harvest mouse The western harvest mouse (''Reithrodontomys megalotis'') is a small neotomine mouse native to most of the western United States. Many authorities consider the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse to be a subspecies, but the two are now usually ...

, ''Reithrodontomys megalotis'' *

Northern grasshopper mouse The northern grasshopper mouse (''Onychomys leucogaster'') is a North American carnivorous rodent of the family Cricetidae. It ranges over much of the western part of the continent, from southern Saskatchewan and central Washington to Tamaulipas ...

, ''Onychomys leucogaster'' *

Northern bog lemming The northern bog lemming (''Synaptomys borealis'') is a small North American lemming. It is one of two species in the genus ''Synaptomys'', the other being the southern bog lemming. Description They have cylindrical bodies covered with long grey ...

, ''Synaptomys borealis'' * Southern bog lemming, ''Synaptomys cooperi'' *

Rock vole The rock vole (''Microtus chrotorrhinus'') is a medium-sized vole found in eastern North America. It is also called the yellow-nosed vole. Description This species is similar in appearance to the larger taiga vole. It has short ears and a long t ...

, ''Microtus chrotorrhinus'' * Prairie vole, ''Microtus ochrogaster'' *

Woodland vole The woodland vole (''Microtus pinetorum'') is a small vole found in Eastern United States, eastern North America. It is also known as the pine vole. Characteristics The woodland vole has a head and body length ranging between with a short tail ...

, ''Microtus pinetorum'' * Meadow vole, ''Microtus pennsylvanicus'' *

Eastern heather vole The eastern heather vole, (''Phenacomys ungava''), is a small North American vole. Until recently, this species was considered to belong to the same species as the western heather vole, ''Phenacomys intermedius''. It is also called the Ungava vo ...

, ''Phenacomys ungava'' *

Southern red-backed vole The southern red-backed vole or Gapper's red-backed vole (''Myodes gapperi'') is a small slender vole found in Canada and the northern United States. It is closely related to the western red-backed vole (''Myodes californius''), which lives to th ...

, ''Myodes gapperi'' *

Muskrat The muskrat (''Ondatra zibethicus'') is a medium-sized semiaquatic rodent native to North America and an introduced species in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands over a wide range of climates and habitat ...

, ''Ondatra zibethicus''

Murids

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 ...

, ''Mus musculus'' introduced * Brown rat, ''Rattus norvegicus'' introduced

Jumping mice

Meadow jumping mouse The meadow jumping mouse (''Zapus hudsonius'') is the most widely distributed mouse in the family Zapodidae. Its range extends from the Atlantic coast in the east to the Great Plains west, and from the arctic tree lines in Canada and Alaska to ...

, ''Zapus hudsonius'' *

Woodland jumping mouse The woodland jumping mouse (''Napaeozapus insignis'') is a species of jumping mouse found in North America. It can jump up to using its extremely strong feet and long tail. Taxonomy Representatives of the family Dipodidae are found in the nort ...

, ''Napaeozapus insignis''

Porcupines

* North American porcupine, ''Erethizon dorsatum''

Lagomorphs The lagomorphs are the members of the taxonomic order Lagomorpha, of which there are two living families: the Leporidae ( hares and rabbits) and the Ochotonidae (pikas). The name of the order is derived from the Ancient Greek ''lagos'' (λα� ...

Hares

* Snowshoe hare, ''Lepus americanus'' *

White-tailed jackrabbit The white-tailed jackrabbit (''Lepus townsendii''), also known as the prairie hare and the white jack, is a species of hare found in western North America. Like all hares and rabbits, it is a member of the family Leporidae of order Lagomorpha ...

, ''Lepus townsendii''

Cottontail rabbits

* Eastern cottontail, ''Sylvilagus floridanus''

Eulipotyphlans

Shrews

* Northern short-tailed shrew, ''Blarina brevicauda'' *

North American least shrew The North American least shrew (''Cryptotis parvus'') is one of the smallest mammals, growing to be only up to 3 inches long. It has a long pointed snout and a tail never more than twice the length of its hind foot. The dense fur coat is e ...

, ''Cryptotis parva'' *

Arctic shrew The Arctic shrew (''Sorex arcticus''), also known as the blackback shrew or saddlebacked shrew, is a medium-sized shrew found in Canada and the northern United States. Separate species status has been proposed for the maritime shrew (''Sorex mari ...

, ''Sorex arcticus'' *

Masked shrew The cinereus shrew or masked shrew (''Sorex cinereus'') is a small shrew found in Alaska, Canada, and the northern United States. This is the most widely distributed shrew in North America, where it is also known as the common shrew. Descriptio ...

, ''Sorex cinereus'' *

American pygmy shrew The American pygmy shrew (''Sorex hoyi'') is a small shrew found in Northern Alaska, Canada, and the northern United States, south through the Appalachian Mountains. It was first discovered in 1831 by naturalist William Cane in Georgian Bay, Parr ...

, ''Sorex hoyi'' *

American water shrew The American water shrew (''Sorex palustris'') or northern water shrew, is a shrew found in the nearctic faunal region located throughout the mountain ranges of the northern United States and in Canada and Alaska. The organism resides in semi-aq ...

, ''Sorex palustris''

Moles

* Star-nosed mole, ''Condylura cristata'' * Eastern mole, ''Scalopus aquaticus''

Bats

Evening bats

* Big brown bat, ''Eptesicus fuscus'' * Silver-haired bat, ''Lasionycteris noctivagans'' *

Hoary bat The hoary bat (''Lasiurus cinereus'') is a species of bat in the vesper bat family, Vespertilionidae. It lives throughout most of North America (possibly including Hawaii, although this is disputed). Taxonomy The hoary bat was described as a ...

, ''Lasiurus cinereus'' *

Eastern red bat The eastern red bat (''Lasiurus borealis'') is a species of microbat in the family Vespertilionidae. Eastern red bats are widespread across eastern North America, with additional records in Bermuda. Taxonomy and etymology It was described in 1 ...

, ''Lasiurus borealis'' * Little brown bat, ''Myotis lucifugus'' *

Northern long-eared myotis ''Myotis septentrionalis'', known as the northern long-eared bat or northern myotis, is a species of bat native to North America. There are no recognized subspecies. The northern long-eared bat is about 3–3.7 inches in length, with a wingspan ...

, ''Myotis septentrionalis'' *

Eastern pipistrelle The tricolored bat (''Perimyotis subflavus'') is a species of microbat native to eastern North America. Formerly known as the eastern pipistrelle, based on the incorrect belief that it was closely related to European ''Pipistrellus'' species, th ...

, ''Pipistrellus subflavus''

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 ...
ns

Procyonids

Common raccoon The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the common raccoon to distinguish it from other species, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of , and a body weight of . ...

, ''Procyon lotor''

Mustelids

* Wolverine, ''Gulo gulo'' extirpated * Northern river otter, ''Lontra canadensis'' *

American marten The American marten (''Martes americana''), also known as the American pine marten, is a species of North American mammal, a member of the family Mustelidae. The species is sometimes referred to as simply the pine marten. The name "pine marten" ...

, ''Martes americana'' *

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'' *

American ermine The American ermine or American stoat (''Mustela richardsonii'') is a species of mustelid native to most of North America. Taxonomy It was long considered conspecific with the stoat (''M. erminea''), but a 2021 study found it to be a distinct ...

, ''Mustela richardsonii'' **Western Great Lakes stoat, ''M. r. bangsi'' *

Beringian ermine The stoat (''Mustela erminea''), also known as the Eurasian ermine, Beringian ermine and ermine, is a mustelid native to Eurasia and the northern portions of North America. Because of its wide circumpolar distribution, it is listed as Least Conc ...

or stoat, ''Mustela erminea'' * Long-tailed weasel, ''Neogale frenata'' * American mink, ''Neogale vison'' *

Fisher Fisher is an archaic term for a fisherman, revived as gender-neutral. Fisher, Fishers or The Fisher may also refer to: Places Australia *Division of Fisher, an electoral district in the Australian House of Representatives, in Queensland *Elect ...

, ''Pekania pennanti'' * American badger, ''Taxidea taxus''

Skunks

Striped skunk The striped skunk (''Mephitis mephitis'') is a skunk of the genus '' Mephitis'' that occurs across much of North America, including southern Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. It is currently listed as least concern by the IUCN on ac ...

, ''Mephitis mephitis'' * Eastern spotted skunk, ''Spilogale putorius''

Canines

Coyote The coyote (''Canis latrans'') is a species of canis, canine native to North America. It is smaller than its close relative, the wolf, and slightly smaller than the closely related eastern wolf and red wolf. It fills much of the same ecologica ...

, ''Canis latrans'' *

Gray wolf The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly ...

, ''Canis lupus'' * Eastern wolf, ''Canis lycaon'' * Gray fox, ''Urocyon cinereoargenteus'' * Swift fox, ''Vulpes velox'' vagrant *

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 ...

, ''Vulpes vulpes'' **

American red fox The American red fox (''Vulpes vulpes fulva'') is a North American subspecies of the red fox. It is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora, occurring in North America. This subspe ...

, ''V. v. fulva'' **Northern plains fox, ''V. v. regalis''

Felines

* Canada lynx, ''Lynx canadensis'' *

Bobcat The bobcat (''Lynx rufus''), also known as the red lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to North America. It ranges from southern Canada through most of the contiguous United States to Oaxaca in Mexico. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUC ...

, ''Lynx rufus'' *

Cougar The cougar (''Puma concolor'') is a large Felidae, cat native to the Americas. Its Species distribution, range spans from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes in South America and is the most widespread of any large wild terrestrial mamm ...

, ''Puma concolor'' vagranthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-3vBfXAOOs&t=4s

Bears

, ''Ursus americanus''

Artiodactyls

Deer

* Moose, ''Alces alces'' *

Elk The elk (''Cervus canadensis''), also known as the wapiti, is one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. The common ...

, ''Cervus canadensis'' * White-tailed deer, ''Odocoileus virginianus'' **Northern white-tailed deer, ''O. v. borealis'' **Dakota white-tailed deer, ''O. v. dacotensis'' **Kansas white-tailed deer, ''O. v. macrourus'' *

Caribou Reindeer (in North American English, known as caribou if wild and ''reindeer'' if domesticated) are deer in the genus ''Rangifer''. For the last few decades, reindeer were assigned to one species, ''Rangifer tarandus'', with about 10 subspe ...

, ''Rangifer tarandus'' extirpated ** Woodland caribou, ''R. t. caribou'' extirpated * Mule deer, ''Odocoileus hemionus'' * Sika deer, ''Cervus nippon'' introduced

Pronghorn

* Pronghorn, ''Antilocapra americana'' vagrant

Bovids

, ''Bison bison'' extirpated ** Plains bison, ''B. b. bison'' extirpated

Pigs

* Wild boar, ''Sus scrofa'' introduced

References

*Burt, W. H., and R. P. Grossenheider (1976). ''Field Guide to the Mammals: North America North of Mexico''. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts, US. *Gunderson, H. L., and J. R. Beer (1953). "Mammals of Minnesota". ''Occasional Papers'', Minnesota Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota. 6: 1-190. *Hazard, E. B. 1982. ''Mammals of Minnesota''. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota. *Heany, L. R., and E. C. Birney (1975). "Comments on the distribution and natural history of some mammals in Minnesota". '' Canadian Field-Naturalist''. 89 (1): 29-34. *Wiche, J. M. and J. F. Cassel (1978). "Checklist of North Dakota mammals. (Revised)". ''The Prairie Naturalist'' 10 (3): 81-88. *Wilson, D. E., and F. R. Cole (2000). ''Common Names of the Mammals of the World''. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C., US. {{Environment of Minnesota Minnesota Mammals