List of mammals of Metropolitan France
This list shows the IUCN Red List status of the 120 mammal species occurring in Metropolitan France. One of them is critically endangered, two are endangered, thirteen are vulnerable, and four are near threatened. One of the species listed for France is considered to be extinct.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed on the respective IUCN Red Lists published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:
EX | Extinct | No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. |
EW | Extinct in the wild | Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range. |
CR | Critically endangered | The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild. |
EN | Endangered | The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. |
VU | Vulnerable | The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. |
NT | Near threatened | The species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to do so in the future. |
LC | Least concern | There are no current identifiable risks to the species. |
DD | Data deficient | There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species. |
Order: [Rodent]ia (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. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to.
- Suborder: Sciurognathi
- *Family: Castoridae
- **Genus: Castor
- *** Eurasian beaver, C. fiber
- *Family: Sciuridae
- **Subfamily: Sciurinae
- ***Genus: Sciurus
- **** Red squirrel, S. vulgaris
- **Subfamily: Xerinae
- ***Genus: Marmota
- **** Alpine marmot, Marmota marmota LC
- *Family: Gliridae
- **Subfamily: Leithiinae
- ***Genus: Eliomys
- **** Garden dormouse, E. quercinus
- ***Genus: Muscardinus
- **** Hazel dormouse, Muscardinus avellanarius LC
- **Subfamily: Glirinae
- ***Genus: Glis
- **** Edible dormouse, Glis glis LC
- *Family: Cricetidae
- **Subfamily: Cricetinae
- ***Genus: Cricetus
- **** European hamster, Cricetus cricetus LC
- **Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- ***Genus: Arvicola
- **** Southwestern water vole, A. sapidus
- **** European water vole, A. amphibius
- ***Genus: Chionomys
- **** Snow vole, Chionomys nivalis LC
- ***Genus: Clethrionomys
- **** Bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus LC
- ***Genus: Microtus
- **** Cabrera's vole, M. cabrerae
- **** Field vole, Microtus agrestis LC
- **** Common vole, Microtus arvalis LC
- **** Mediterranean pine vole, Microtus duodecimcostatus LC
- **** Gerbe's vole, Microtus gerbei LC
- **** Lusitanian pine vole, Microtus lusitanicus LC
- **** Alpine pine vole, Microtus multiplex LC
- **** Savi's pine vole, Microtus savii LC
- **** European pine vole, Microtus subterraneus LC
- *Family: Muridae
- **Subfamily: Murinae
- ***Genus: Mus
- **** House mouse, M. musculus
- **** Algerian mouse, M. spretus LC
- ***Genus: Apodemus
- **** Alpine field mouse, Apodemus alpicola
- **** Yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis LC
- **** Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus LC
- ***Genus: Micromys
- **** Eurasian harvest mouse, Micromys minutus LC
Order: [Lagomorpha] (lagomorphs)
The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae, and Ochotonidae. Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily 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
- *Genus: Oryctolagus
- ** European rabbit, O. cuniculus
- *Genus: Lepus
- ** European hare, L. europaeus
- ** Mountain hare, L. timidus
Order: [Eulipotyphla] (shrews, hedgehogs, gymnures, moles and solenodons)
Eulipotyphlans are insectivorous mammals. Shrews and solenodons resemble mice, hedgehogs carry spines, gymnures look more like large rats, while moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
- Family: Erinaceidae
- *Subfamily: Erinaceinae
- **Genus: Erinaceus
- *** West European hedgehog, E. europaeus
- **Genus: Atelerix
- *** North African hedgehog, A. algirus
- Family: Soricidae
- *Subfamily: Crocidurinae
- **Genus: Crocidura
- *** Bicolored shrew, Crocidura leucodon LC
- *** Greater white-toothed shrew, Crocidura russula LC
- *** Lesser white-toothed shrew, Crocidura suaveolens LC
- **Genus: Suncus
- *** Etruscan shrew, Suncus etruscus LC
- *Subfamily: Soricinae
- **Tribe: Nectogalini
- ***Genus: Neomys
- **** Southern water shrew, Neomys anomalus LC
- **** Eurasian water shrew, Neomys fodiens LC
- **Tribe: Soricini
- ***Genus: Sorex
- **** Alpine shrew, Sorex alpinus LC
- **** Common shrew, Sorex araneus LC
- **** Crowned shrew, Sorex coronatus LC
- **** Eurasian pygmy shrew, Sorex minutus LC
- Family: Talpidae
- *Subfamily: Talpinae
- **Tribe: Desmanini
- ***Genus: Galemys
- **** Pyrenean desman, G. pyrenaicus
- **Tribe: Talpini
- ***Genus: Talpa
- **** Mediterranean mole, T. caeca LC
- **** European mole, T. europaea LC
- **** Roman mole, T. romana LC
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
- *** Bechstein's bat, M. bechsteini
- *** Pond bat, M. dasycneme
- *** Lesser mouse-eared bat, M. blythii LC
- *** Brandt's bat, M. brandti LC
- *** Long-fingered bat, M. capaccinii VU
- *** Daubenton's bat, M. daubentonii
- *** Geoffroy's bat, M. emarginatus VU
- *** Greater mouse-eared bat, M. myotis LC
- *** Whiskered bat, M. mystacinus LC
- *** Natterer's bat, M. nattereri LC
- *** Cryptic myotis, M. crypticus
- *** Escalera's bat, M. escalerai
- *Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
- **Genus: Barbastella
- *** Barbastelle, B. barbastellus VU
- **Genus: Eptesicus
- *** Northern bat, E. nilssoni LC
- *** Serotine bat, E. serotinus LC
- **Genus: Hypsugo
- *** Savi's pipistrelle, H. savii
- **Genus: Nyctalus
- *** Greater noctule bat, N. lasiopterus
- *** Lesser noctule, N. leisleri
- *** Common noctule, N. noctula
- **Genus: Pipistrellus
- *** Nathusius' pipistrelle, P. nathusii
- *** Kuhl's pipistrelle, P. kuhlii LC
- *** Common pipistrelle, P. pipistrellus LC
- **Genus: Plecotus
- *** Brown long-eared bat, P. auritus LC
- *** Grey long-eared bat, P. austriacus LC
- **Genus: Vespertilio
- *** Parti-coloured bat, V. murinus LC
- *Subfamily: Miniopterinae
- **Genus: Miniopterus
- *** Schreibers' long-fingered bat, M. schreibersii LC
- Family: Molossidae
- *Genus: Tadarida
- ** European free-tailed bat, T. teniotis LC
- Family: Rhinolophidae
- *Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
- **Genus: Rhinolophus
- *** Mediterranean horseshoe bat, R. euryale VU
- *** Greater horseshoe bat, R. ferrumequinum NT
- *** Lesser horseshoe bat, R. hipposideros LC
- *** Mehely's horseshoe bat, R. mehelyi VU
Order: [Cetacea] (whales)
The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. 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
- *Family: Balaenidae
- **Genus: Balaena
- *** Bowhead whale, Balaena mysticetus LC vagrant
- **Genus: Eubalaena
- *** North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis CR or functionally extinct in European waters
- *Family: Eschrichtiidae
- **Genus: Eschrichtius
- *** North Atlantic grey whale, Eschrichtius robustus EX)
- *Family: Balaenopteridae
- **Subfamily: Megapterinae
- ***Genus: Megaptera
- **** Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae VU
- **Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
- ***Genus: Balaenoptera
- **** Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus EN
- **** Minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata NT
- Suborder: Odontoceti
- *Family: Kogiidae
- **Genus: Kogia
- *** Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps LC
- *Family: Ziphidae
- **Genus: Ziphius
- *** Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris DD
- **Subfamily: Hyperoodontidae
- ***Genus: Hyperoodon
- **** Northern bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus DD
- ***Genus: Mesoplodon
- **** Sowerby's beaked whale, Mesoplodon bidens DD
- **** True's beaked whale, Mesoplodon mirus DD
- *Family: Phocoenidae
- **Genus: Phocoena
- *** Harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena VU
- *Family: Delphinidae
- **Genus: Steno
- *** Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis DD
- **Genus: Tursiops
- *** Bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus DD
- **Genus: Stenella
- *** Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba LC
- **Genus: Delphinus
- *** Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis LC
- **Genus: Lagenorhynchus
- *** Atlantic white-sided dolphin, Lagenorhynchus acutus LC
- *** White-beaked dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris LC
- **Genus: Grampus
- *** Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus DD
- **Genus: Feresa
- *** Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuata DD
- **Genus: Pseudorca
- *** False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens LC
- **Genus: Globicephala
- *** Pilot whale, Globicephala melas LC
- **Genus: Orcinus
- *** Orca, Orcinus orca DD
- *Superfamily: Platanistoidea
- **Family: Monodontidae
- ***Genus: Delphinapterus
- **** Beluga, Delphinapterus leucas VU
Order: [Carnivora] (carnivorans)
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There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
- Suborder: Feliformia
- *Family: Felidae
- **Subfamily: Felinae
- ***Genus: Felis
- **** European wildcat, F. silvestris
- ***Genus: Lynx
- **** Eurasian lynx, L. lynx
- *Family: Viverridae
- **Subfamily: Viverrinae
- ***Genus: Genetta
- **** Common genet, G. genetta introduced
- Suborder: Caniformia
- *Family: Canidae
- **Genus: Vulpes
- *** Red fox, V. vulpes
- **Genus: Canis
- *** Gray wolf, C. lupus
- **** Eurasian wolf, C. l. lupus
- **** Italian wolf, C. l. italicus
- *Family: Ursidae
- **Genus: Ursus
- *** Brown bear, U. arctos
- **** Eurasian brown bear, U. a. arctos
- *Family: Mustelidae
- **Genus: Martes
- *** Beech marten, M. foina
- *** European pine marten, M. martes
- **Genus: Mustela
- *** European mink, M. lutreola
- *** Stoat, M. erminea
- *** Least weasel, M. nivalis
- *** European polecat, M. putorius
- **Genus: Meles
- *** Eurasian badger, M. meles
- **Genus: Lutra
- *** European otter, L. lutra
- *Family: Odobenidae
- **Genus: Odobenus
- *** Walrus, Odobenus rosmarus LC
- *Family: Phocidae
- **Genus: Erignathus
- *** Bearded seal, Erignathus barbatus LC
- **Genus: Halichoerus
- *** Grey seal, Halichoerus grypus LC
- **Genus: Monachus
- *** Mediterranean monk seal, M. monachus
- **Genus: Phoca
- *** Common seal, Phoca vitulina LC
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: Suidae
- *Subfamily: Suinae
- **Genus: Sus
- *** Wild boar, Sus scrofa LC
- Family: Cervidae
- *Subfamily: Cervinae
- **Genus: Cervus
- *** Red deer, Cervus elaphus LC
- **Genus: Dama
- *** Fallow deer, D. dama
- *Subfamily: Capreolinae
- **Genus: Capreolus
- *** Roe deer, C. capreolus
- Family: Bovidae
- *Subfamily: Caprinae
- **Genus: Capra
- *** Alpine ibex, Capra ibex LC
- **Genus: Rupicapra
- *** Pyrenean chamois, Rupicapra pyrenaica LC
- *** Chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra LC
- **Genus: Ovis
- *** Mouflon, Ovis orientalis VU