List of mammals of California

Though long extirpated from the state, the grizzly bear remains the official state mammal of California.

This is a list of mammals in California, including both current and recently historical inhabitants.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) monitors certain species and subspecies of special concern. These are mammals whose populations may be locally threatened, but which are excluded from federal and international conservation lists. Taxa of special concern in California are noted below, as are endemic, introduced, harvest, and vagrant species.

There are 227 mammal species listed, including 186 terrestrial and 42 marine.

Opossums

Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

Order: Didelphimorphia, Family: Didelphidae

One species of opossum occurs in California.

Common name Scientific name Status Distribution
Virginia opossum Didelphis virginiana Common,
Introduced,
Harvest 		Statewide

Eulipotyphlans

Desert shrew (Notiosorex crawfordi)

Order: Eulipotyphla, Family: Soricidae

Thirteen species of shrews occur in California.

Common name Scientific name Status Distribution
Desert (or Crawford's gray) shrew Notiosorex crawfordi Southern deserts
Marsh shrew Sorex bendirii Northwest
Mount Lyell shrew Sorex lyelli Endemic, special concern Central Sierra Nevada, high elevation
Merriam's shrew Sorex merriami Great Basin
Montane shrew Sorex monticolus Sierra Nevada and
San Bernardino ranges
Pacific shrew Sorex pacificus Northwest
American water shrew Sorex palustris Sierra Nevada, Cascades, and Coast Ranges above
1,300 m (4,000 ft)
Preble's shrew Sorex preblei Cascades above 1,200 m (4,000 ft)
Ornate shrew Sorex ornatus 5 ssp. of special concern Central and southwest
Fog shrew Sorex sonomae Northwest
Inyo shrew Sorex tenellus East central
Trowbridge's shrew Sorex trowbridgii North outside Central Valley
Vagrant shrew Sorex vagrans 1 ssp. of special concern North outside Central Valley

Order: Eulipotyphla, Family: Talpidae

Five species of moles occur in California.

Bats

Pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus)

Order: Chiroptera, Family: Phyllostomidae

Four species of leaf-nosed bats occur in California.

Order: Chiroptera, Family: Vespertilionidae

Nineteen species of vesper bats occur in California.

Order: Chiroptera, Family: Molossidae

Four species of free-tailed bats occur in California.

Lagomorphs

Order: Lagomorpha Family: Ochotonidae

One species of pika occurs in California.

Brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani)

Order: Lagomorpha Family: Leporidae

Eight species of rabbits and hares occur in California.

  • Pygmy rabbit, Brachylagus idahoensis (CDFW special concern, harvest)
  • Snowshoe hare, Lepus americanus (harvest)
    • Oregon snowshoe hare, L. a. klamathensis (CDFW special concern)
    • Sierra Nevada snowshoe hare, L. a. tahoensis (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • Black-tailed jackrabbit, Lepus californicus (harvest)
    • San Diego black-tailed jackrabbit, L. c. bennettii (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • White-tailed jackrabbit, Lepus townsendii (CDFW special concern, harvest)
  • European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (introduced)
  • Desert cottontail, Sylvilagus audubonii (harvest)
  • Brush rabbit, Sylvilagus bachmani (harvest, except for endangered Riparian subspecies)
    • Riparian brush rabbit, S. b. riparius (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • Mountain cottontail, Sylvilagus nuttallii (harvest)

Rodents

Order: Rodentia Family: Aplodontiidae

One species of mountain beaver occurs in California.

  • Mountain beaver, Aplodontia rufa
    • Sierra Nevada mountain beaver, A. r. californica (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • Point Arena mountain beaver, A. r. nigra (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • Point Reyes mountain beaver, A. r. phaea (CDFW special concern; endemic)
California ground squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi)

Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae

Thirty species of squirrels, chipmunks, and marmots occur in California.

Subfamily Sciurinae (tree squirrels and flying squirrels)

Subfamily Xerinae (chipmunks and ground squirrels)

Order: Rodentia Family: Castoridae

One species of beaver occurs in California.

Order: Rodentia Family: Geomyidae

Five species of pocket gophers occur in California.

The giant kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ingens) is endemic to California

Order: Rodentia Family: Heteromyidae

Twenty-six species of pocket mice and kangaroo rats occur in California.

Subfamily Dipodomyinae (kangaroo rats and mice)

Subfamily Perognathinae (pocket mice)

  • Bailey's pocket mouse, Chaetodipus baileyi
  • California pocket mouse, Chaetodipus californicus
    • Dulzura pocket mouse, C. c. femoralis (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • San Diego pocket mouse, Chaetodipus fallax
    • Northwestern San Diego pocket mouse, C. f. fallax (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • Pallid San Diego pocket mouse, C. f. pallidus (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • Long-tailed pocket mouse, Chaetodipus formosus
  • Desert pocket mouse, Chaetodipus penicillatus
  • Spiny pocket mouse, Chaetodipus spinatus
  • White-eared pocket mouse, Perognathus alticola (endemic)
    • White-eared pocket mouse, P. a. alticola (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • Tehachapi pocket mouse, P. a. inexpectatus (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • San Joaquin pocket mouse, Perognathus inornatus (endemic)
    • Salinas pocket mouse, P. i. psammophilus (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • Little pocket mouse, Perognathus longimembris
    • Palm Springs pocket mouse, P. l. bangsi (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • Los Angeles pocket mouse, P. l. brevinasus (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • Jacumba pocket mouse, P. l. internationalis (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • Pacific pocket mouse, P. l. pacificus (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • Great Basin pocket mouse, Perognathus parvus
The salt marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris) is endemic to California

Order: Rodentia Family: Cricetidae

Twenty-nine species of voles and New World rats and mice occur in California.

Subfamily Arvicolinae (lemmings, voles, and muskrat)

  • White-footed vole, Arborimus albipes (CDFW special concern)
  • Red tree vole, Arborimus longicaudus presence uncertain
  • Sonoma tree vole, Arborimus pomo (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • Western red-backed vole, Clethrionomys californicus
  • Sagebrush vole, Lemmiscus curtatus
  • California vole, Microtus californicus
    • Monterey vole, M. c. halophilus (endemic)
    • Mojave River vole, M. c. mohavensis (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • San Pablo vole, M. c. sanpabloensis (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • Amargosa vole, M. c. scirpensis (federal and state endangered; endemic)
    • South coast marsh vole, M. c. stephensi (CDFW special concern; endemic)
    • Owens Valley vole, M. c. vallicola (CDFW special concern; endemic)
  • Long-tailed vole, Microtus longicaudus
  • Montane vole, Microtus montanus
  • Creeping vole, Microtus oregoni
  • Townsend's vole, Microtus townsendii
  • Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus (introduced, harvest)
  • Heather vole, Phenacomys intermedius

Subfamily Neotominae (North American rats and mice)

Subfamily Sigmodontinae (cotton rats)

Order: Rodentia Family: Muridae

Three species of Old World rats and mice occur in California.

Order: Rodentia Family: Dipodidae

Two species of jumping mice occur in California.

Order: Rodentia Family: Erethizontidae

One species of porcupine occurs in California.

Whales, dolphins and porpoises

The gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) migrates off the coast of California

Order: Cetacea Family: Eschrichtiidae

One species of gray whale occurs in California's waters.

Order: Cetacea Family: Balaenopteridae

Six species of rorquals occur in California's waters.

Order: Cetacea Family: Balaenidae

One species of right whale occurs in California's waters.

Order: Cetacea Family: Delphinidae

Twelve species of dolphins occur in California's waters.

Order: Cetacea Family: Phocoenidae

Two species of porpoises occur in California's waters.

Order: Cetacea Family: Kogiidae

Two species of small sperm whales occur in California's waters.

Order: Cetacea Family: Physeteridae

One species of sperm whale occur in California's waters.

Order: Cetacea Family: Ziphiidae

Seven species of beaked whales occur in California's waters.

Carnivorans

The island fox (Urocyon littoralis) is endemic to California.

Order: Carnivora Family: Canidae

Six species of canids occur in California.

Order: Carnivora Family: Ursidae

Two species of bears occurred in California. One was recently extirpated.

Order: Carnivora Family: Procyonidae

Two species of this nocturnal, omnivorous family occur in California.

Order: Carnivora Family: Mephitidae

Two species of skunks occur in California.

Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae

Four species of cats occurred in California. One was recently extirpated.

Order: Carnivora Family: Mustelidae

California sea lion (Zalophus californianus)

Order: Carnivora Family: Otariidae

Four species of eared seals occur in California.

Order: Carnivora Family: Phocidae

Four species of earless seals occur in California.

Even-toed ungulates

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Antilocapridae

One species of pronghorn occurs in California.

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae

Three species of bovid occur in California; one is introduced.

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus)

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Cervidae

Four species of deer and elk occur in California.

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Suidae

One species of pig occurs in California.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mammals of California.
  1. ^ [1] | NOAA Fisheries, Office of Protected Resources, Short-beaked Common Dolphin
  2. ^ [2] | NOAA Fisheries, Office of Protected Resources, Long-beaked Common Dolphin
  3. ^ "Canada Lynx". iNaturalist. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  4. ^ Sahagun, Louis (September 4, 2019). "California becomes first state to ban fur trapping after Gov. Newsom signs law". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 5, 2019.

Bibliography