List of mammals of Massachusetts
This is a list of mammals of Massachusetts. It includes all mammals currently living in Massachusetts, whether resident or as migrants. 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. For a look at these mammals' habitats, see List of mammals of Connecticut. This list does not include the American bison and caribou, which have been reported archaeologically, but disappeared after European settlers came to the state. It also does not include the fox squirrel, which only occurs accidentally.
Bats
Name | Species/authority | Order | Family | Range and status | IUCN Red List |
Big brown bat | Eptesicus fuscus Beauvois, 1796 | Chiroptera | Vespertilionidae | Common, live statewide | |
Silver-haired bat | Lasionycteris noctivagans Le Conte, 1831 | Chiroptera | Vespertilionidae | Migratory, uncommon, statewide | |
Eastern red bat | Lasiurus borealis Müller, 1776 | Chiroptera | Vespertilionidae | Migratory, common, statewide | |
Hoary bat | Lasiurus cinereus Beauvois, 1796 | Chiroptera | Vespertilionidae | Migratory, rarely seen, statewide | |
Eastern small-footed myotis | Myotis leibii Audubon & Bachman, 1842 | Chiroptera | Vespertilionidae | Berkshire and Hampden counties, extremely rare, listed as special concern | |
Little brown bat | Myotis lucifugus Le Conte, 1831 | Chiroptera | Vespertilionidae | Endangered, distribution spotty | |
Northern long-eared myotis | Myotis septentrionalis Trouessart, 1897 | Chiroptera | Vespertilionidae | Endangered, distribution spotty, reportedly breeding in Martha's Vineyard | |
Indiana bat | Myotis sodalis Miller & Allen, 1928 | Chiroptera | Vespertilionidae | Very rare, Western Massachusetts only, listed as endangered in the state and federally | |
Tricolored bat | Perimyotis subflavus Cuvier, 1832 | Chiroptera | Vespertilionidae | Endangered, distribution spotty |
- 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 bat were listed as endangered in the state.
Carnivora
Name | Species/authority | Order | Family | Range and status | IUCN Red List |
American black bear | Ursus americanus | Carnivora | Ursidae | Locally common to uncommon; found in most of the state, however not common in southeast Massachusetts. | |
Coyote | Canis latrans | Carnivora | Canidae | Common; statewide except Nantucket; three records from Martha's Vineyard, but has yet to be established | |
Eastern wolf | Canis lupus lycaon | Carnivora | Canidae | Extirpated; last reported in 1840, although there were two sighting in 1918 and 2007 in Franklin County | |
Gray fox | Urocyon cineroargentatus | Carnivora | Canidae | Common; statewide except Dukes, Nantucket, and Suffolk counties | |
Red fox | Vulpes vulpes fulves | Carnivora | Canidae | Common; statewide except Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket | |
Hooded seal | Cystophora cristata | Carnivora | Phocidae | Uncommon winter visitor reported from Essex, Plymouth, Dukes, Nantucket, Barnstable, and Suffolk counties | |
Bearded seal | Erignathus barbatus | Carnivora | Phocidae | One record; Essex County | |
Grey seal | Halichoerus grypus | Carnivora | 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 | Carnivora | Phocidae | Common winter visitor; reported from Plymouth, Suffolk, Essex, and Barnstable counties. Sightings are increasing, especially in winter | |
Harbor seal | Phoca vitulina | Carnivora | 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 | Carnivora | Phocidae | Uncommon in Massachusetts; most seen in winter | |
Canada lynx | Lynx canadensis | Carnivora | Felidae | Extirpated; formerly Central and Western Massachusetts; reported in Hampshire and Worcester counties, questionable reports in the 1930s were probably bobcats, two records in 1991 | |
Bobcat | Lynx rufus | Carnivora | Felidae | Common in Northeastern, Central and Western Massachusetts, but rare in Southeastern Massachusetts, the Cape, and absent in the islands | |
Eastern cougar | Puma concolor couguar | Carnivora | 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 | Carnivora | Mustelidae | Extirpated; lasted reported in 1835, formerly Western Massachusetts | |
North American river otter | Lontra canadensis | Carnivora | Mustelidae | Common; statewide except Suffolk County; records in Nantucket in 1984 and 2007 | |
American marten | Martes americana | Carnivora | Mustelidae | Extirpated; formerly Central, Western, and possibly northeastern Massachusetts; last reported in Worcester County although two records in 1992 and 1993 may have come from Vermont | |
Fisher | Martes pennanti | Carnivora | Mustelidae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties | |
Stoat | Mustela erminea | Carnivora | Mustelidae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties; rare in Cape Cod | |
Long-tailed weasel | Mustela frenata | Carnivora | Mustelidae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties | |
Sea mink | Neovison macrodon | Carnivora | Mustelidae | Formerly Coastal Massachusetts; became extinct from overtrapping | |
American mink | Neovison vison | Carnivora | Mustelidae | Common; statewide except Nantucket, possibly extirpated from Martha's Vineyard | |
Walrus | Odobenus rosmarus | Carnivora | Odobenidae | Rare vagrant. Reported from Essex and Plymouth counties | |
Raccoon | Procyon lotor | Carnivora | Procyonidae | Common, statewide except Nantucket | |
Striped skunk | Mephitis mephitis | Carnivora | Mephitidae | Common, statewide except the Elizabeth Islands and Nantucket |
Cetacea
Name | Species/authority | Order | Family | Range and status | IUCN Red List |
Bowhead whale | Balaena mysticetus | Cetacea | Balaenidae | Occasionally seen in winter; probably uncommon | |
North Atlantic right whale | Eubalaena glacialis | Cetacea | Balaenidae | Uncommon, winter and spring visitor in Cape Cod Bay | |
Northern bottlenose whale | Hyperoodon ampullatus | Cetacea | Ziphiidae | Rare, pelagic, stranded in Barnstable and Essex counties | |
Sowerby's beaked whale | Mesoplodon bidens | Cetacea | Ziphiidae | Only two records in Nantucket | |
Blainville's beaked whale | Mesoplodon densirostris | Cetacea | Ziphiidae | One record in Essex County | |
Gervais' beaked whale | Mesoplodon europaeus | Cetacea | Ziphiidae | One record in Cape Cod | |
True's beaked whale | Mesoplodon mirus | Cetacea | Ziphiidae | One record in Nantucket | |
Cuvier's beaked whale | Ziphius cavirostris | Cetacea | Ziphiidae | Pelagic, stranded in Barnstable, Norfolk, and Dukes counties | |
Beluga whale | Delphinapterus leucas | Cetacea | Monodontidae | Vagrant, observed in the waters of Essex, Barnstable, Dukes, and Bristol counties | |
Short-beaked common dolphin | Delphinus delphis | Cetacea | Delphinidae | Uncommon, found in Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, and Nantucket counties | |
Long-finned pilot whale | Globicephala melas | Cetacea | Delphinidae | Uncommon, occurs in schools and is frequently stranded | |
Short-finned pilot whale | Globicephala macrorhynchus | Cetacea | Delphinidae | Uncommon, occurs in schools, primarily found in warmer waters offshore | |
Risso's dolphin | Grampus griseus | Cetacea | Delphinidae | Uncommon, offshore waters, stranded in Barnstable, Dukes, and Norfolk counties | |
Atlantic white-sided dolphin | Lagenorhynchus acutus | Cetacea | Delphinidae | Common, found in coastal waters, stranded in Norfolk, Essex, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket | |
White-beaked dolphin | Lagenorhynchus albirostris | Cetacea | Delphinidae | Rare, found in coastal waters, reported from Barnstable and Essex counties | |
Killer whale | Orcinus orca | Cetacea | Delphinidae | Rare, offshore waters, stranded in Barnstable and Dukes counties, observed in Plymouth and Suffolk counties | |
Pantropical spotted dolphin | Stenella attenuata | Cetacea | Delphinidae | Uncommon, found in offshore waters | |
Striped dolphin | Stenella coeruleoalba | Cetacea | Delphinidae | Rare, pelagic, reported from Dukes, Nantucket, Plymouth, Barnstable, and Essex counties | |
Atlantic spotted dolphin | Stenella frontalis | Cetacea | Delphinidae | Rare, reported from Nantucket and Dukes counties | |
Common bottlenose dolphin | Tursiops truncatus | Cetacea | Delphinidae | Rare, found in inshore waters, stranded in Barnstable and Plymouth counties | |
Pygmy sperm whale | Kogia breviceps | Cetacea | 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 | Cetacea | 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 | Cetacea | 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 | Cetacea | Phocoenidae | Common, found entirely in coastal waters | |
Common minke whale | Balaenoptera acutorostrata | Cetacea | Rorqual | Common, found in the inshore waters, stranded in Norfolk, Essex, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties | |
Sei whale | Balaenoptera borealis | Cetacea | Rorqual | Found in Cape Cod Bay and Massachusetts Bay, stranded in Cape Cod, Essex, and Plymouth counties, endangered and rare in Massachusetts | |
Blue whale | Balaenoptera musculus | Cetacea | Rorqual | One questionable stranding in Essex County reported in 1755, Recent near-shore records, endangered and rare in Massachusetts | |
Fin whale | Balaenoptera physalus | Cetacea | Rorqual | Common but endangered, stranded in Barnstable, Essex, Dukes, and Plymouth counties | |
Humpback whale | Megaptera novaeangliae | Cetacea | Rorqual | Common but endangered, stranded in Barnstable, Dukes, Essex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Suffolk counties |
Even-toed ungulates
Name | Species/authority | Order | Family | Range and status | IUCN Red List |
Moose | Alces alces | Artiodactyla | Cervidae | Common; found in north, central Western, and northeast Massachusetts, but can be found in Eastern. Total population is over 1000 | |
Elk | Cervus canadensis | Artiodactyla | Cervidae | Extirpated; formerly Western Massachusetts; last record in Worcester County in 1732 | |
Fallow deer | Dama dama | Artiodactyla | Cervidae | Introduced in Dukes County; last reported in 1980 | |
White-tailed deer | Odocoileus virginianus | Artiodactyla | Cervidae | Common; statewide |
Lagomorpha
Name | Species/authority | Order | Family | Range and status | IUCN Red List |
Snowshoe hare | Lepus americanus | Lagomorpha | Leporidae | Common; statewide except Dukes County; introduced to Nantucket | |
Black-tailed jackrabbit | Lepus californicus | Lagomorpha | Leporidae | Introduced, uncommon; found only in Nantucket | |
European hare | Lepus europaeus | Lagomorpha | Leporidae | Introduced; found in Berkshire County | |
European rabbit | Oryctolagus cuniculus | Lagomorpha | Leporidae | Introduced; found in Lovells Island and Gallops Island | |
Eastern cottontail | Sylvilagus floridanus | Lagomorpha | Leporidae | Introduced, common, statewide | |
New England cottontail | Sylvilagus transitionalis | Lagomorpha | Leporidae | Rare, formerly common and found statewide, now found only in Cape Cod, Nantucket, and southwestern Massachusetts |
Opossums
Name | Species/authority | Order | Family | Range and status | IUCN Red List |
Virginia opossum | Didelphis virginiana | Didelphimorphia | Didelphinae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties |
Rodents
Name | Species/authority | Order | Family | Range and status | IUCN Red List |
North American beaver | Castor canadensis | Rodentia | Castoridae | Common; northeastern, Central, and Western Massachusetts | |
Beach vole | Microtus breweri | Rodentia | Cricetidae | Muskeget Island | |
Meadow vole | Microtus pennsylvanicus | Rodentia | Cricetidae | Common; statewide | |
Woodland vole | Microtus pinetorum | Rodentia | Cricetidae | Locally common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties | |
Southern red-backed vole | Myodes gapperi | Rodentia | Cricetidae | Common; statewide except Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket | |
Allegheny woodrat | Neotoma magister | Rodentia | Cricetidae | Extirpated; May have occurred in southwestern Berkshire County but if so is now undoubtedly extirpated | |
Muskrat | Ondantra zibethicus | Rodentia | Cricetidae | Common; statewide except Nantucket | |
White-footed mouse | Peromyscus leucopus | Rodentia | Cricetidae | Common; statewide | |
Deer mouse | Peromyscus maniculatus | Rodentia | Cricetidae | Common; Central and Western Massachusetts | |
Southern bog lemming | Synaptomys cooperi | Rodentia | Cricetidae | Very rare; listed as special concern. Known from the towns of Plymouth, Wareham, New Salem, Ware, and Belchertown | |
Woodland jumping mouse | Napaeozapus insignis | Rodentia | Dipodidae | Common; Central and Western Massachusetts | |
Meadow jumping mouse | Zapus hudsonius | Rodentia | Dipodidae | Common; statewide | |
House mouse | Mus musculus | Rodentia | Muridae | Introduced; statewide except Martha's Vineyard | |
Brown rat | Rattus norvegicus | Rodentia | Muridae | Introduced; statewide | |
Black rat | Rattus rattus | Rodentia | Muridae | Introduced; eradicated | |
North American porcupine | Erethizon dorsatum | Rodentia | New World porcupine | Common; northeastern, Central, and Western Massachusetts | |
Northern flying squirrel | Glaucomys sabrinus | Rodentia | Sciuridae | Uncommon; northeastern, Central, and Western Massachusetts | |
Southern flying squirrel | Glaucomys volans | Rodentia | Sciuridae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties | |
Groundhog | Marmota monax | Rodentia | Sciuridae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties | |
Eastern gray squirrel | Sciurus carolinensis | Rodentia | Sciuridae | Common; statewide, introduced in Nantucket There is also a subgroup of melanistic eastern gray squirrel that was introduced into western Massachusetts known as a black squirrel | |
American red squirrel | Tamiasciurus hudsonicus | Rodentia | Sciuridae | Common; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties | |
Eastern chipmunk | Tamias striatus | Rodentia | Sciuridae | Common; statewide except Nantucket |