List of mammals of Massachusetts
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Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates This is a list of mammals of Massachusetts. It includes all mammals currently living in Massachusetts, whether resident or as migrants, as well as extirpated species. For the most part, it does not include each mammal's specific habitat, but instead shows the mammal's range in the state and its abundance.
Chiroptera (bats)
In 2008, white-nose syndrome was recorded in Massachusetts. Afterwards, the bat population declined by 98%, and thus, in 2012, the little brown myotis, northern long-eared myotis, and tricolored bats were listed as endangered in the state.
Carnivora (carnivorans)
| Name | Species/authority | Family | Range and status | IUCN Red List |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern coyote |
Canis latrans |
Canidae | Common; statewide, except Nantucket | |
| Eastern wolf |
Canis lycaon |
Canidae | Extirpated; last reported in 1840, although there were two sightings in 1918 and 2007 in Franklin County[10] | |
| Gray fox |
Urocyon cinereoargenteus |
Canidae | Common; statewide except Dukes, Nantucket, and Suffolk counties | |
| Red fox |
Vulpes vulpes |
Canidae | Common; statewide except Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket | |
| Raccoon |
Procyon lotor |
Procyonidae | Common, statewide except Nantucket | |
| American black bear |
Ursus americanus |
Ursidae | Rarity varies locally; found in most of the state, but not common in southeast Massachusetts. | |
| Canada lynx |
Lynx canadensis |
Felidae | Extirpated; formerly central and western Massachusetts; reported in Hampshire (1866) and Worcester (1884–1885) counties, questionable reports in the 1930s were probably bobcats; two records in 1991 | |
| Bobcat |
Lynx rufus |
Felidae | Common in northeastern, central and western Massachusetts, but rare in southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod; absent in the islands | |
| Eastern cougar |
Puma concolor couguar |
Felidae | Extirpated; last known record was in 1858. However, in 1997, a DNA testing of feces found in the Quabbin Reservoir in Franklin County was that of a cougar, although it could have been an escaped captive | |
| Wolverine |
Gulo gulo |
Mustelidae | Extirpated; lasted reported in 1835, formerly western Massachusetts | |
| North American river otter |
Lontra canadensis |
Mustelidae | Common; statewide except Suffolk County; records in Nantucket in 1984 and 2007 | |
| American marten |
Martes americana |
Mustelidae | Extirpated; formerly central, western, and possibly northeastern Massachusetts; last reported in Worcester County (1880) although two records in 1992 and 1993 may have come from Vermont | |
| American ermine File:Ermine- Bacon Fiend (14083889879).jpg |
Mustela richardsonii |
Mustelidae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties; rare in Cape Cod | |
| Long-tailed weasel |
Neogale frenata |
Mustelidae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties | |
| Sea mink |
Neogale macrodon |
Mustelidae | Formerly coastal Massachusetts; became extinct from overtrapping | |
| American mink |
Neogale vison |
Mustelidae | Common; statewide except Nantucket, possibly extirpated from Martha's Vineyard | |
| Fisher |
Pekania pennanti |
Mustelidae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties | |
| Striped skunk |
Mephitis mephitis |
Mephitidae | Common, statewide except the Elizabeth Islands and Nantucket | |
| Bearded seal |
Erignathus barbatus |
Phocidae | One record; Essex County (2002) | |
| Grey seal |
Halichoerus grypus |
Phocidae | Found in Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties; Population has increased after seal hunting became illegal in 1962, known pupping sights are in Monomoy and Muskeget islands | |
| Harp seal |
Pagophilus groenlandicus |
Phocidae | Common winter visitor; reported from Plymouth, Suffolk, Essex, and Barnstable counties. Sightings are increasing, especially in winter | |
| Harbor seal |
Phoca vitulina |
Phocidae | A common seal in Massachusetts. Found in coastal areas, including Barnstable, Suffolk, Essex, and Plymouth counties. Regular winter visitor in Cape Cod and the islands. Originally bred in the state but no known breeding areas. However, pups have been reported in Plymouth | |
| Ringed seal |
Pusa hispida |
Phocidae | Uncommon in Massachusetts; most seen in winter | |
| Walrus |
Odobenus rosmarus |
Odobenidae | Rare vagrant. Reported from Essex (1937) and Plymouth (1734) counties |
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Cetacea (cetaceans)
| Name | Species/authority | Family | Range and status | IUCN Red List |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowhead whale |
Balaena mysticetus |
Balaenidae | Occasionally seen in winter; probably uncommon | |
| North Atlantic right whale |
Eubalaena glacialis |
Balaenidae | Uncommon, winter and spring visitor in Cape Cod Bay | |
| Northern bottlenose whale |
Hyperoodon ampullatus |
Ziphiidae | Rare, pelagic, stranded in Barnstable and Essex counties | |
| Sowerby's beaked whale |
Mesoplodon bidens |
Ziphiidae | Only two records in Nantucket | |
| Blainville's beaked whale |
Mesoplodon densirostris |
Ziphiidae | One record in Essex County | |
| Gervais' beaked whale |
Mesoplodon europaeus |
Ziphiidae | One record in Cape Cod | |
| True's beaked whale |
Mesoplodon mirus |
Ziphiidae | One record in Nantucket | |
| Cuvier's beaked whale |
Ziphius cavirostris |
Ziphiidae | Pelagic, stranded in Barnstable, Norfolk, and Dukes counties | |
| Beluga whale |
Delphinapterus leucas |
Monodontidae | Vagrant, observed in the waters of Essex, Barnstable, Dukes, and Bristol counties | |
| Short-beaked common dolphin |
Delphinus delphis |
Delphinidae | Uncommon, found in Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, and Nantucket counties | |
| Short-finned pilot whale |
Globicephala macrorhynchus |
Delphinidae | Uncommon, occurs in schools, primarily found in warmer waters offshore | |
| Long-finned pilot whale |
Globicephala melas |
Delphinidae | Uncommon, occurs in schools and is frequently stranded | |
| Risso's dolphin |
Grampus griseus |
Delphinidae | Uncommon, offshore waters, stranded in Barnstable, Dukes, and Norfolk counties | |
| White-beaked dolphin |
Lagenorhynchus albirostris |
Delphinidae | Rare, found in coastal waters, reported from Barnstable and Essex counties | |
| Atlantic white-sided dolphin |
Leucopleurus acutus |
Delphinidae | Common, found in coastal waters, stranded in Norfolk, Essex, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket | |
| Killer whale |
Orcinus orca |
Delphinidae | Rare, offshore waters, stranded in Barnstable and Dukes counties, observed in Plymouth and Suffolk counties | |
| Pantropical spotted dolphin |
Stenella attenuata |
Delphinidae | Uncommon, found in offshore waters | |
| Striped dolphin |
Stenella coeruleoalba |
Delphinidae | Rare, pelagic, reported from Dukes, Nantucket, Plymouth, Barnstable, and Essex counties | |
| Atlantic spotted dolphin |
Stenella frontalis |
Delphinidae | Rare, reported from Nantucket and Dukes counties | |
| Common bottlenose dolphin |
Tursiops truncatus |
Delphinidae | Rare, found in inshore waters, stranded in Barnstable and Plymouth counties | |
| Pygmy sperm whale |
Kogia breviceps |
Physeteroidea | Rare, found in offshore waters, stranded in Barnstable, Plymouth, Essex, Norfolk, and Dukes counties, recorded in Bristol County waters | |
| Dwarf sperm whale |
Kogia sima |
Physeteroidea | Rarely seen, stranded in Nantucket and Plymouth counties, distinguished from the pygmy sperm whale by being smaller and having a larger dorsal fin | |
| Sperm whale |
Physeter macrocephalus |
Physeteroidea | Rare, formerly abundant offshore, stranded in Barnstable, Dukes, Essex, Nantucket, and Plymouth counties. The largest toothed whale. Dives deep to hunt for food | |
| Harbour porpoise |
Phocoena phocoena |
Phocoenidae | Common, found entirely in coastal waters | |
| Common minke whale |
Balaenoptera acutorostrata |
Rorqual | Common, found in the inshore waters, stranded in Norfolk, Essex, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties | |
| Sei whale |
Balaenoptera borealis |
Rorqual | Found in Cape Cod Bay and Massachusetts Bay, stranded in Cape Cod (1910 and 1974), Essex (2007), and Plymouth (1948) counties, endangered and rare in Massachusetts | |
| Blue whale |
Balaenoptera musculus |
Rorqual | One questionable stranding in Essex County reported in 1755, Recent near-shore records, endangered and rare in Massachusetts | |
| Fin whale |
Balaenoptera physalus |
Rorqual | Common but endangered, stranded in Barnstable, Essex, Dukes, and Plymouth counties | |
| Humpback whale |
Megaptera novaeangliae |
Rorqual | Common but endangered, stranded in Barnstable, Dukes, Essex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Suffolk counties |
Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
| Name | Species/authority | Family | Range and status | IUCN Red List |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American bison | Bison bison | Bovidae | Extirpated[11][12] | |
| Moose |
Alces alces |
Cervidae | Common; found in north, western, and eastern Massachusetts. Total population is over 1000 individuals | |
| Eastern elk |
Cervus canadensis canadensis |
Cervidae | Extirpated, formerly western Massachusetts; last record in Worcester County in 1732 | |
| Fallow deer |
Dama dama |
Cervidae | Introduced in Dukes County; last reported in 1980 | |
| White-tailed deer |
Odocoileus virginianus |
Cervidae | Common; statewide | |
| Boreal woodland caribou | Rangifer tarandus caribou | Cervidae | Extirpated[13] |
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Lagomorpha (rabbits and hares)
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Didelphimorphia (New World opossums)
| Name | Species/authority | Family | Range and status | IUCN Red List |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia opossum |
Didelphis virginiana |
Didelphinae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties |
Rodentia (rodents)
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Eulipotyphla (shrews and moles)
| Name | Species/authority | Family | Range and status | IUCN Red List |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern short-tailed shrew |
Blarina brevicauda |
Soricidae | Common; statewide | |
| Cinereus shrew |
Sorex cinereus |
Soricidae | Common; statewide | |
| Long-tailed shrew |
Sorex dispar |
Soricidae | Rare; special concern; found only in Berkshire County | |
| Smoky shrew |
Sorex fumeus |
Soricidae | Uncommon; Central and Western Massachusetts | |
| American pygmy shrew |
Sorex hoyi |
Soricidae | One record; Berkshire County (1991) | |
| American water shrew |
Sorex palustris |
Soricidae | Uncommon; special concern, found in Central and Western Massachusetts | |
| Star-nosed mole |
Condylura cristata |
Talpidae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties | |
| Hairy-tailed mole |
Parascalops breweri |
Talpidae | Uncommon; northeastern, Central, and Western Massachusetts | |
| Eastern mole |
Scalopus aquaticus |
Talpidae | Common; found in southern Plymouth county, southern Connecticut River Valley, Cape Cod, and Dukes and Nantucket counties |
See also
- Mammals of New England
- List of Massachusetts birds
- List of reptiles of Massachusetts
- List of mammal genera
- Lists of mammals by region
- List of mammals in Connecticut
- List of mammals in North America
References
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- ↑ Aune, K., Jørgensen, D. & Gates, C. 2017. Bison bison (errata version published in 2018). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T2815A123789863. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T2815A45156541.en. Downloaded on 07 July 2021.
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- Kays, R. W., and Wilson, D. W., Mammals of North America, Princeton University Press, Template:ISBN
- Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds) Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press. Template:ISBN.
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Mammals of North America
- Mammal List of Massachusetts Cardoza, J. E., Jones, G. S., and French, T. W.