List of mammals of Pakistan
This list of the mammals of Pakistan shows the conservation status of the 173 mammal species occurring in Pakistan, of which 12 are critically endangered, 11 are endangered, 14 are vulnerable, and 10 are near threatened. The largest mammal in Pakistan is the Asiatic brown bear. Capra falconeri, the markhor, is the national animal of Pakistan.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed on the IUCN Red List:
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. |
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. |
Some species were assessed using an earlier set of criteria. Species assessed using this system have the following instead of near threatened and least concern categories:
LR/cd | Lower risk/conservation dependent | Species which were the focus of conservation programmes and may have moved into a higher risk category if that programme was discontinued. |
LR/nt | Lower risk/near threatened | Species which are close to being classified as vulnerable but are not the subject of conservation programmes. |
LR/lc | Lower risk/least concern | Species for which there are no identifiable risks. |
Subclass: [Theria]
Infraclass: [Eutheria]
Order: [Proboscidea] (elephants)
----The elephants comprise three living species and are the largest living land animals.
- Family: Elephantidae
- *Genus: Elephas
- **Species: Asian elephant, E. maximus, extinct in Pakistan
Order: [Primate]s
is the territorial animal of Islamabad
The order Primates contains humans and their closest relatives: lemurs, lorisoids, monkeys, and apes.
- Suborder: Haplorhini
- *Infraorder: Simiiformes
- **Parvorder: Catarrhini
- ***Superfamily: Cercopithecoidea
- ****Family: Cercopithecidae
- *****Genus: Macaca
- ****** Rhesus macaque, Macaca mulatta LR/nt
- *****Subfamily: Colobinae
- ******Genus: Semnopithecus
- ******* Gray langur, Semnopithecus entellus LR/nt
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: Hystricognathi
- *Family: Hystricidae
- **Genus:
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: Ochotonidae
- *Genus: Ochotona
- ** Ladakh pika, Ochotona ladacensis LR/lc
- ** Black-lipped pika, Ochotona curzoniae LR/lc
- ** Large-eared pika, Ochotona macrotis LR/lc
- ** Nubra pika, Ochotona nubrica LR/lc
- ** Royle's pika, Ochotona roylei LR/lc
- ** Afghan pika, Ochotona rufescens LR/lc
- Family: Leporidae
- *Genus: Lepus
- ** Indian hare, Lepus nigricollis LR/lc
- ** Woolly hare, Lepus oiostolus LR/lc
- ** Cape hare, Lepus capensis LC
Order: [Erinaceomorpha] (hedgehogs and gymnures)
The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and gymnures. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats.
- Family: Erinaceidae
- *Subfamily: Erinaceinae
- **Genus: Hemiechinus
- *** Long-eared hedgehog, Hemiechinus auritus LR/lc
- *** Indian long-eared hedgehog, Hemiechinus collaris LR/lc
- *** Brandt's hedgehog, Hemiechinus hypomelas LR/lc
- *** Indian hedgehog, Hemiechinus micropus LR/lc
Order: [Soricomorpha] (shrews, moles, and solenodons)
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
- Family: Soricidae
- *Subfamily: Crocidurinae
- **Genus: Crocidura
- *** Gmelin's white-toothed shrew, Crocidura gmelini LR/lc
- *** Pale gray shrew, Crocidura pergrisea DD
- *** Zarudny's shrew, Crocidura zarudnyi LR/lc
- *** Asian gray shrew, Crocidura suaveolens
- **Genus: Suncus
- *** Etruscan shrew, Suncus etruscus LC
- *** Asian house shrew, Suncus murinus LR/lc
- *** Anderson's shrew, Suncus stoliczkanus LR/lc
- *Subfamily: Soricinae
- **Tribe: Soricini
- ***Genus: Sorex
- **** Kashmir shrew, Sorex planiceps LR/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: Pteropodidae
- *Subfamily: Pteropodinae
- **Genus:
Order: [Pholidota] (pangolins)
----The order Pholidota comprises the eight species of pangolin. Pangolins are anteaters and have the powerful claws, elongated snout and long tongue seen in the other unrelated anteater species.
- Family: Manidae
- *Genus: Manis
- ** Indian pangolin, Manis crassicaudata LR/nt
Order: [Cetacea] (whales)
s off Dhofar, Oman
skeleton at the Pakistan Museum of Natural History
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: Balaenopteridae
- **Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
- ***Genus: Balaenoptera
- **** Bryde's whale, Balaenoptera edeni DD
- **** Pygmy blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda EN
- **** Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus EN
- **Subfamily: Megapterinae
- ***Genus: Megaptera
- **** Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae VU
- Suborder: Odontoceti
- *Superfamily: Platanistoidea
- **Family: Platanistidae
- ***Genus: Platanista
- **** Indus river dolphin, Platanista minor minor EN
- **Family: Phocoenidae
- ***Genus: Neophocaena
- **** Finless porpoise, Neophocaena phocaenoides DD
- **Family: Kogiidae
- ***Genus: Kogia
- **** Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps LR/lc
- **** Dwarf sperm whale, Kogia sima LR/lc
- **Family: Physeteridae
- ***Genus: Physeter
- **** Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus VU
- **Family: Ziphidae
- ***Subfamily: Hyperoodontinae
- ****Genus: Mesoplodon
- ***** Blainville's beaked whale, Mesoplodon densirostris DD
- ***** Ginkgo-toothed beaked whale, Mesoplodon ginkgodens DD
- **Family: Delphinidae
- ***Genus: Steno
- **** Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis DD
- ***Genus: Sousa
- **** Sousa chinensis DD
- ***Genus: Tursiops
- **** Bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops aduncus DD
- **** Bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus DD
- ***Genus: Stenella
- **** Spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris LR/cd
- ***Genus: Delphinus
- **** Common dolphin, Delphinus capensis LR/lc
- ***Genus: Lagenodelphis
- **** Fraser's dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei DD
- ***Genus: Grampus
- **** Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus DD
- ***Genus: Peponocephala
- **** Melon-headed whale, Peponocephala electra LR/lc
- ***Genus: Feresa
- **** Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuata DD
- ***Genus: Orcinus
- **** Killer whale, Orcinus orcaDD
Order: [Carnivora] (carnivorans)
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which eat meat as their primary dietary item. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
- Suborder: Feliformia
- *Family: Felidae
- **Subfamily: Felinae
- ***Genus: Caracal
- ****Caracal, C. caracal
- ***Genus: Felis
- ****Jungle cat, F. chaus
- ****Sand cat, F. margarita
- ****Wildcat, F. lybica
- *****Asiatic wildcat, F. lybica ornata
- ***Genus: Otocolobus
- **** Pallas's cat, O. manul
- ***Genus: Lynx
- ****Eurasian lynx, L. lynx
- ***Genus: Prionailurus
- ****Leopard cat, P. bengalensis
- ****Fishing cat, P. viverrinus
- **Subfamily: Pantherinae
- ***Genus: Panthera
- ****Leopard P. pardus
- *****Indian leopard, P. pardus fusca, nationally CE
- ****Snow leopard, P. uncia
- *Family: Viverridae
- **Subfamily: Paradoxurinae
- ***Genus: Paguma
- ****Masked palm civet, P. larvata
- **Subfamily: Viverrinae
- ***Genus: Viverricula
- ****Small Indian civet, V. indica
- *Family: Herpestidae
- **Genus: Herpestes
- ***Indian grey mongoose, H. edwardsii
- ***Javan mongoose, H. javanicus
- *Family: Hyaenidae
- **Genus: Hyaena
- ***Striped hyena, H. hyaena
- Suborder: Caniformia
- *Family: Canidae
- **Genus: Vulpes
- ***Blanford's fox, V. cana
- ***Red fox, V. vulpes
- ***Bengal fox, V. bengalensis
- ***Rüppell's fox, V. rueppellii
- **Genus: Canis
- ***Golden jackal, C. aureus
- ***Gray wolf, C. lupus
- ****Indian wolf, C. lupus pallipes EN
- **Genus: Cuon
- ***Dhole, C. alpinus
- ****Tien Shan dhole, C. alpinus hesperius
- *Family: Ursidae
- **Genus: Ursus
- ***Brown bear, U. arctos
- ***Asiatic black bear, U. thibetanus
- *Family: Mustelidae
- **Genus: Mustela
- ***Stoat, M. erminea
- ***Mountain weasel, M. altaica
- **Genus: Vormela
- ***Marbled polecat, V. peregusna
- **Genus: Martes
- ***Yellow-throated marten, M. flavigula
- ***Beech marten, M. foina
- **Genus: Mellivora
- ***Honey badger, M. capensis
- **Genus: Lutra
- ***European otter, L. lutra
- **Genus: Lutrogale
- ***Smooth-coated otter, L. perspicillata
Order: [Perissodactyla] (odd-toed ungulates)
The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and grazing mammals. They are usually large to very large, and have relatively simple stomachs and a large middle toe.
- Family: Equidae
- *Genus: Equus
- **Asiatic wild ass, Equus hemionus NT
- ***Indian wild ass, Equus hemionus khur NT
- ***Persian onager, Equus hemionus onager EN -
- Family: Rhinocerotidae
- *Genus: Rhinoceros
- ** Indian rhinoceros, Rhinoceros unicornis VU -
Order: [Artiodactyla] (even-toed ungulates)
, national animal of Pakistan
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, S. scrofa LR/lc
- Family: Moschidae
- *Genus: Moschus
- ** Himalayan musk deer, M. chrysogaster LR/nt
- Family: Cervidae
- *Subfamily: Cervinae
- ** Genus: Rucervus
- *** Barasingha, R. duvaucelii VU -
- **Genus: Axis
- ***Spotted deer, Axis axis LC -
- **Genus: Hyelaphus
- ***Indian hog deer, H. porcinus EN
- **Genus: Muntiacus
- ***Barking deer, M. muntjak
- Family: Bovidae
- *Subfamily: Antilopinae
- **Genus: Antilope
- *** Blackbuck, A. cervicapra NT
- **Genus: Gazella
- *** Chinkara, G. bennettii LC
- *** Goitered gazelle, G. subgutturosa VU
- *Subfamily: Bovinae
- **Genus: Boselaphus
- *** Nilgai, B. tragocamelus LC
- *Subfamily: Caprinae
- **Genus: Capra
- *** Wild goat, C. aegagrus VU
- **** Sindh ibex, Capra a. blythi
- **** Chiltan ibex, C. a. chialtanensis
- *** Markhor, Capra falconeri EN
- **** Astor markhor, C. f. falconeri LR/nt
- **** Kabul markhor, C. f. megaceros EN
- *** Siberian ibex, C. sibrica LR/lc
- **Genus: Nemorhaedus
- *** Grey goral, N. goral LC
- **Genus: Ovis
- ***Argali, O. ammon NT
- ****Marco Polo sheep, O. a. polii
- ***Urial, O. orientalis VU
- ****Blanford urial, O. o. blanfordi
- ****Afghan urial, O. o. cycloceros
- ****Punjab urial, O. o. punjabiensis
- ****Ladakh urial, O. o. vignei
- **Genus: Pseudois
- *** Bharal, P. nayaur'' LC