List of mammals of Florida

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Dolphin, state saltwater mammal;[1] Florida panther, state animal;[2] and manatee, state marine mammal[1]

This is a list of mammal species found in the wild in the American state of Florida. Ninety-nine
species of mammals are known to inhabit, or have recently inhabited, the state and its surrounding
waters. This includes a few species, such as the black-tailed jackrabbit and red deer, that were
introduced after the arrival of Europeans. It also includes the extinct Caribbean monk seal. Rodents
account for roughly one quarter of all species, followed closely by mammals from the
families Cetacea and Carnivora.
The species included in this list are drawn from the work of the American Society of
Mammalogists (ASM), which compiled information from five different publications.[3] Information on
the international conservation status of species has been drawn from the IUCN Red List.

Contents

 1Mammals by order
 2Terrestrial mammals
o 2.1Carnivora
o 2.2Chiroptera
o 2.3Rodentia
o 2.4Other orders
 3Marine mammals
o 3.1Carnivora and Sirenia
o 3.2Cetacea
 4References

Mammals by order[edit]

Order Members Species Threatened species

Artiodactyla even-toed ungulates 4

 Order Members Species Threatened species

Carnivora carnivorans 19 1

Cetacea whales, dolphins and porpoises 21 5

Chiroptera bats 18 2

Cingulata armadillos 1

Didelphimorphia common opossums 1

Lagomorpha hares, rabbits and pikas 4

Primates lemurs, monkeys, and apes 2

Rodentia rodents 23 1

Sirenia aquatic herbivorous mammals 1 1

Soricomorpha shrews, moles and solenodons 5

Total 99 10

Terrestrial mammals[edit]
Carnivora[edit]
Florida panther

Coyotes arrived in northern Florida in the 1970s as their natural range expanded. Illegal releases
were another factor in their occupation of the state. Coyotes are extremely adaptable, living in all
types of forests and farms.[4]
Florida has two types of foxes. The native gray fox can be found in the United States almost
anywhere, except the northern plains and Rockies. It is sometimes confused with the red fox due to
having patches of red hair.[5] The red fox was introduced to Florida by hunting clubs, although it may
have been native in the northern panhandle. Its preferred habitats are open areas, while the gray fox
prefers woods.[6]
Red wolves were once common throughout the southeastern US, including Florida. Extinct in the
wild in 1980, it has been progressively introduced to select nature preserves. The present population
was introduced as part of this recovery program in 1997 to the Saint Vincent National Refuge;[7] once
red wolf pups reach 18 months, they are relocated to the North Carolina portion of the program.[8]
Bobcats are well adapted to urban development and are not a conservation concern. They make
their home in hammocks, forests or swamps.[9]
The Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) is a subspecies of cougar. Its main differences from other
subspecies are longer legs, smaller size and a shorter darker coat. The skull of the Florida panther is
broader and flatter with highly arched nasal bones.[10] Reportedly only seventy adult animals are
alive,[11] and a 1992 study estimated that the subspecies would become extinct between 2016 and
2055.[12] It was chosen in 1982 as the Florida state animal by the state's schoolchildren.[13]
It is believed that some jaguarundis were unintentionally released in the wild in the 1940s.[14] There is
no evidence besides witness accounts, and the existence of jaguarandis in the state is dubious.[15]
Two of the eleven species of skunks live in Florida. Both the eastern spotted skunk and the striped
skunk can be found statewide (except for the Keys).
Small populations of the Everglades mink (Mustela vison evergladensis), a subspecies of American
mink, are encountered near Lake Okeechobee, and in the Big Cypress Swamp-Everglades National
Park area.[16]
Northern river otters are a common sight close to freshwater streams in Florida. The population is
increasing.[17]
Raccoons are prevalent in the contiguous 48 states, including Florida. Adaptable to almost all kinds
of habitats, they are among the few which actually benefit from human development, since food
becomes more available. Attacks by predators like the bobcat cause minimum mortality, and the
main reason for raccoon deaths is considered to be car accidents.[18] They are predators of sea
turtle nests.[19]
The Florida black bear, Ursus americanus floridanus, is a subspecies of the American black bear.
Differences between subspecies are very small; the Florida black bear has a highly arched forehead
and a long and narrow braincase.[20] Estimates for 2002 indicated the number of bears statewide to
be between 2,000 and 3,200, indicating an increase from the previous census in 1998. The biggest
cause of concern is roadkill, although the rates of mortality are equivalent to other areas in the
country.[21]

Scientific
ASM state status and Red
Common name name Order Family
native range[3] List
authority

Coyote

Canis latrans uncommon or locally

Carnivora Canidae
Say, 1823 common statewide
[22]

Feral dog

Canis familiaris locally common; escaped

Carnivora Canidae
Linnaeus, 1758 or released statewide

Gray fox

Urocyon
uncommon or locally
cinereoargenteus Carnivora Canidae
common statewide
(Schreber, 1775) [23]

Red fox

Vulpes vulpes uncommon or locally

Carnivora Canidae
Linnaeus, 1758 common statewide
[24]
 Scientific
ASM state status and Red
Common name name Order Family
native range[3] List
authority

Florida black wolf

Canis lupus
floridanus Carnivora Canidae extinct
Miller, 1912

Red wolf
Canis rufus
rare, introduced on Saint
Audubon & Carnivora Canidae
Vincent Island
Bachman, 1851 [25]

Bobcat

Lynx rufus common; peninsula and

Carnivora Felidae
(Schreber, 1777) northern Keys
[26]

Florida panther

rare, restricted to Green

Puma concolor Swamp and Big
Carnivora Felidae
(Linnaeus, 1771) Cypress areas in SW
[27]
peninsula

Felis catus abundant; escaped or

Feral cat Carnivora Felidae
(Linnaeus, 1758) released statewide
 Scientific
ASM state status and Red
Common name name Order Family
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authority

Jaguarundi

Herpailurus possibly introduced to the

yaguarondi Carnivora Felidae northern two thirds of
(Lacépède, 1809) peninsula [28]

Eastern spotted
skunk

Spilogale
common; statewide except
putorius Carnivora Mephitidae
northeast corner and Keys
(Linnaeus, 1758) [29]

Striped skunk

Mephitis mephitis common; statewide except

Carnivora Mephitidae
(Schreber, 1776) Keys
[30]

Mustela frenata rare; statewide

Long-tailed weasel Lichtenstein, Carnivora Mustelidae except Everglades and
1831 Keys [31]
 Scientific
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Mink

rare; coastal marshes in

Mustela vison west Panhandle, Big
Carnivora Mustelidae
Schreber, 1777 Bend area, northeast area,
[32]
and Everglades

Northern river otter

locally common, mostly
Lontra freshwater habitats,
canadensis Carnivora Mustelidae primarily rivers and
(Schreber, 1777) streams, statewide except [33]

Keys

Common raccoon

Procyon lotor
Carnivora Procyonidae abundant, statewide
(Linnaeus, 1758)
[34]

introduced species, with

Nasua narica
White-nosed coati Carnivora Procyonidae reports over a wide area of
(Linnaeus, 1766)
southern Florida [35]
 Scientific
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Florida black bear

Ursus
rare or uncommon;
americanus
Carnivora Ursidae localized populations
floridanus
statewide except Keys [36]
Pallas, 1780

Chiroptera[edit]
Of the bats listed below, thirteen are confirmed to be resident species; all of them are insectivorous.
Five species had very low numbers reported and can be classified as accidental species: the Indiana
bat, Jamaican fruit bat, little brown bat, northern long-eared myotis and the silver-haired bat. Some
bats not in this list, but with reported sightings in the Lower Keys, are the buffy flower bat, Cuban
flower bat and Cuban fig-eating bat.[37]
Bats can be classified in two groups by their roosting habits: solitary- and colony-roosting bats.
Solitary bats prefer to live in leaves, palm fronds and Spanish moss. Resident bats in this category
are the eastern red bat, the northern yellow bat and the Seminole bat. Hoary bats are not considered
residents because they migrate to Mexico and South America to spend the winter.[38]
The remaining species are considered to be colony-roosting bats. Darker than their solitary
counterparts and less furry, these bats prefer to live under bridges, in tree holes or caves. Only three
Florida species live in caves: the eastern pipistrelle, the gray bat and the southeastern myotis.
Florida has the highest concentration of southeastern myotis in the world.[38]
The greatest threat to bats in Florida is the disturbance or destruction of roost sites, due
to vandalism or urban development.[38]
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Velvety free-tailed
bat

Molossus
molossus Chiroptera Molossidae rare; Lower Keys
(Pallas, 1766) [39]

Mexican free-tailed
bat
Tadarida
brasiliensis common, statewide except
Chiroptera Molossidae
(I. Geoffroy, for Keys
[40]
1824)

Florida bonneted bat

Eumops
rare, endemic to southern
floridanus Chiroptera Molossidae
Florida
(Allen, 1932) [41]

Jamaican fruit bat

Artibeus
jamaicensis Chiroptera Phyllostomidae rare, Lower Keys only
Leach, 1821 [42]

common statewide except

Big brown bat Eptesicus Chiroptera Vespertilionidae
for Keys
fuscus
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[43]
(Beauvois,
1796)

Eastern pipistrelle
Pipistrellus
uncommon; panhandle
subflavus
Chiroptera Vespertilionidae and northern half of
(F. Cuvier,
peninsula [44]
1832)

Eastern red bat

Lasiurus uncommon; panhandle

borealis Chiroptera Vespertilionidae and northern quarter of
(Müller, 1776) peninsula [45]

Evening bat

Nycticeius
humeralis common; statewide except
Chiroptera Vespertilionidae
(Rafinesque, for Keys
[46]
1818)

Myotis
grisescens rare, known only from
Gray bat Chiroptera Vespertilionidae
A.H. Howell, panhandle, Marianna area
[47]
1909
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Hoary bat

Lasiurus
uncommon, panhandle
cinereus
Chiroptera Vespertilionidae and northern half of
(Beauvois,
peninsula [48]
1796)

Indiana bat

Myotis sodalis rare, known only from

Miller & Chiroptera Vespertilionidae panhandle, Marianna and
Allen, 1928 Jackson counties [49]

Little brown bat

Myotis
rare, known only from
lucifugus
Chiroptera Vespertilionidae panhandle and Okaloosa
(La Conte,
County [50]
1831)

Myotis
rare, known only from
Northern long-eared septentrionalis
Chiroptera Vespertilionidae panhandle, Marianna and
myotis (Trouessart,
Jackson counties [51]
1897)
 Scientific
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Northern yellow bat

Lasiurus common statewide except

intermedius Chiroptera Vespertilionidae southern tip of peninsula
H. Allen, 1862 and Keys [52]

Rafinesque's big-
eared bat
Plecotus rare, statewide except
rafinesquii Chiroptera Vespertilionidae southern tip of peninsula
Lesson, 1827 and Keys [53]

Seminole bat

Lasiurus
common, statewide except
seminolus
Chiroptera Vespertilionidae southern tip of peninsula
(Rhoads,
and Keys [54]
1895)

Lasionycteris rare; known only from

noctivagans north Santa Rosa
Silver-haired bat Chiroptera Vespertilionidae
(La Conte, County and possibly
[55]
1831) north Nassau County
 Scientific
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Southeastern myotis

Myotis common; cave habitats in

austroriparius panhandle and, disjunct,
Chiroptera Vespertilionidae
(Rhoads, northeastern and
[56]
1897) northcentral peninsula

Rodentia[edit]

Eastern gray squirrel in Tampa

Of the several species of rodents in Florida, the subspecies of oldfield mouse are the biggest
conservation concern, along with the Florida mouse. Six of eight subspecies of the oldfield mouse
(commonly named beach mice) are in endangered status, and one is extinct. Given causes for their
demise is predators like cats and red foxes and destruction of their natural habitats.[57] The Florida
mouse is on the endangered species list because of destruction of their habitat. The mouse is the
only mammal that is endemic to Florida. The rodent depends on the gopher tortoise (also
endangered) for its survival, because it makes its burrows from tortoise burrows, or in the absence of
those, oldfield mouse burrows.[58]
Non-native species brought in boats by colonizers are the black rat, brown rat and house mouse.
Other non-natives are the capybara, the nutria and the Mexican gray squirrel.[59]
Not listed below, but with reported sightings, are the biggest rat in the world, the Gambian pouched
rat, which arrived in 2002; and the prairie dog. Both are wild releases of animals kept as pets.[59]
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American beaver

Castor common; panhandle and

Rodenti
canadensis Castoridae northern third of peninsula,
a
Kuhl, 1820 except coastal areas. [60]

Southeastern pocket
gopher

Geomys pinetis
Rodenti common; panhandle and
Rafinesque, Geomyidae
a northern half of peninsula
1817 [61]

Geomys pinetis
Goff's pocket Rodenti
goffi Geomyidae extinct
gopher a
Sherman, 1944

Capybara

Hydrochaeris
introduced; probably several
hydrochaeris Rodenti Hydrochaerida
small populations north of
(Linnaeus, a e
peninsula [62]
1766)

rare; coastal dunes and dunes

Peromyscus
Rodenti on some barrier islands;
Oldfield mouse polionotus Cricetidae
a uncommon on panhandle and
(Wagner, 1843) [63]
northern two thirds of
peniinsula in dry,
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sandy, oldfields and grasslan

ds

Anastasia Island
beach mouse

Peromyscus
polionotus Rodenti only in Anastasia Island in
Cricetidae
phasma a St. Augustine, Florida
(Bangs, 1898)

Perdido Key beach

mouse
Peromyscus
polionotus Rodenti found on Perdido Key,
Cricetidae
trissyllepsis a Florida
(Bowen, 1968)

Peromyscus
polionotus
Rodenti
Pallid beach mouse decoloratus Cricetidae extinct
a
(A.H. Howell,
1939)

Cotton mouse
Peromyscus
gossypinus Rodenti common; statewide in forests
Cricetidae
(Le Conte, a and mixed forest/grasslands
[64]
1850)
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Eastern harvest
mouse
Reithrodontomy
common; panhandle and
s humilis
Rodenti northern two thirds of
(Audubon & Cricetidae
a peninsula in oldfields,
Bachman, [65]
grasslands, and fields
1941)

Florida woodrat

uncommon; panhandle,
Neotoma
Rodenti northern two thirds of
floridana Cricetidae
a peninsula and rare; Key
(Ord, 1818) [66]
Largo

Podomys
rare; central peninsula,
floridanus Rodenti
Florida mouse Cricetidae mostly in habitats along
(Chapman, a
central ridges. [67]
1889)

Meadow vole

Microtus
Rodenti rare; salt marsh in Cedar
pennsylvanicus Cricetidae
a Key area of Gulf coast
(Ord, 1815) [68]

Ochrotomys
Rodenti rare; panhandle and northern
Golden mouse nuttalli Cricetidae
a half of peninsula
(Harlan, 183)2 [69]
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Hispid cotton rat

Sigmodon
hispidus Rodenti
Cricetidae common; statewide
Say & Ord, a
[70]
1825

House mouse

Mus musculus Rodenti introduced; common;

Muridae
Linnaeus, 1758 a statewide
[71]

Marsh rice rat

Oryzomys common; statewide in

Rodenti
palustris Cricetidae saltmarsh and associated
a
(Harlan, 1837) habitats [72]

Brown rat

Rattus
norvegicus Rodenti introduced; common;
Muridae
(Berkenhout, a statewide
[73]
1769)

Microtus
pinetorum Rodenti uncommon; central portion
Woodland vole Cricetidae
(Le Conte, a of northern third of peninsula
[74]
1830)
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Black rat
Rattus rattus
Rodenti introduced; common
(Linnaeus, Muridae
a statewide
1758) [75]

Round-tailed
muskrat
common; peninsula and
Neofiber alleni Rodenti isolated populations
Cricetidae
True, 1884 a in Apalachicola and
[76]
Okefenokee areas

Coypu
introduced; Duval
Myocastor County and panhandle
Rodenti
coypus Myocastoridae populations; possibly
a
(Molina, 1782) established statewide except [77]

Keys

Tamias striatus uncommon; northern half of

Rodenti
Eastern chipmunk (Linnaeus, Sciuridae western panhandle in mesic
a
1758) forest areas [78]
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Eastern gray
squirrel

Sciurus
Rodenti common; statewide except
carolinensis Sciuridae
a Lower Keys
Gmelin, 1788 [79]

Fox squirrel

rare; statewide except Keys;

Sciurus niger Rodenti
Sciuridae possibly extinct in
Linnaeus, 1758 a
southeastern peninsula [80]

Mexican gray
squirrel
Sciurus
Rodenti introduced; established
aureogaster Sciuridae
a on Elliott Key
F. Cuvier, 1829 [81]

common; statewide except

Southern flying Rodenti
Glaucomys Sciuridae Keys and possibly southwest
squirrel a
volans peninsula [82]
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(Linnaeus,
1758)

Other orders