List of mammals of Ireland

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are 53 mammal species native to Ireland or naturalised in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland before 1500, of which 27[1] are terrestrial mammals and 26[2] are aquatic mammals. According to The Red List of Irish terrestrial mammals in 2019, locally, the black rat is listed as vulnerable, the grey wolf is extinct, and the remaining 25 terrestrial mammals are least concern. Not assessed were nine mammal species that were introduced after 1500. The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed on the IUCN Red List:

CRCritically endangeredThe species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild.
ENEndangeredThe species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
VUVulnerableThe species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
NTNear threatenedThe 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.
LCLeast concernThere are no current identifiable risks to the species.
DDData deficientThere is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species.

This article refers to species' global IUCN conservation status (as opposed to local status).

Diprotodontia (kangaroos and wallabies)

Although marsupials are only native to Australasia and the Americas, the red-necked wallaby has been introduced to Ireland: a population has been breeding on Lambay island since the 1950s.[3]

Rodentia (rodents)

Red squirrel

Rodents are the largest order of mammals, making up over 40% of mammal species globally. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing.

Lagomorpha (lagomorphs)

Irish hare, an endemic subspecies of mountain hare

Although lagomorphs 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.

Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)

Red deer in Killarney National Park
Main article: Deer of Ireland

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 globally, including many that are of great economic importance to humans.

Eulipotyphla (hedgehogs, shrews and moles)

European hedgehog
Eurasian pygmy shrew

The order Eulipotyphla contains the hedgehogs, shrews, and moles. Hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines, shrews closely resemble mice, while moles (which are absent from Ireland)[5] are stout-bodied burrowers.

Chiroptera (bats)

Soprano pipistrelle
Brown long-eared bat

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 mammal species globally.

Carnivora (carnivorans)

Irish stoat, an endemic subspecies of stoat
Grey seal

Carnivorans include over 260 species globally, the majority of which eat meat as their primary dietary item. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.

Cetacea (whales)

Humpback whale breaching
Harbour porpoise
Fungie, a famous Irish bottlenose dolphin
Orca

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.

Locally extinct

Fossil of the extinct Irish elk.

The following species are locally extinct in the country:

Globally extinct

The following species were present in Ireland, and are now extinct globally:[11]

See also

References

External links

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