This list of mammals of Estonia shows the IUCN Red List status of the mammal fauna occurring in Estonia. It is somewhat impoverished compared to that of southern and central Europe due to the short period since the last ice age. Native species are considered to be those which are today present in the country. There are no endemic mammal species in Estonia. The list follows Moks et al. (2015) with later additions.
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 (pigs) Subfamily: Suinae Genus: Sus Wild boar, S. scrofa Family: Cervidae (deer) Subfamily: Cervinae Genus: Cervus Red deer, C. elaphus Sika deer, C. nippon (introduced, few sightings in 1980s and more often since 2013) Genus: Dama European fallow deer, D. dama (introduced, few sightings since 2012) Subfamily: Capreolinae Genus: Alces Moose, A. alces Genus: Capreolus Roe deer, C. capreolus
Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)
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 (cats) Subfamily: Felinae Genus: Lynx Eurasian lynx, L. lynx Suborder: Caniformia Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes) Genus: Canis Gray wolf, C. lupus European jackal, C. aureus moreoticus (first found in 2013) Genus: Nyctereutes Raccoon dog, N. procyonoides (introduced) Genus: Vulpes Red fox, V. vulpes Family: Ursidae (bears) Genus: Ursus Brown bear, U. arctos Family: Mustelidae (mustelids) Genus: Gulo Wolverine, G. gulo (only five proven sightings during the 20th century and none during the 21st) Genus: Lutra European otter, L. lutra Genus: Martes Pine marten, M. martes Beech marten, M. foina Genus: Meles European badger, M. meles Genus: Mustela Stoat, M. erminea European mink, M. lutreola CR reintroduced Least weasel, M. nivalis European polecat, M. putorius Genus: Neogale American mink, N. vison introduced Family: Phocidae (pinnipeds especially earless seals) Genus: Halichoerus Grey seal, H. grypus Genus: Pusa Ringed seal, P. hispida
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: Odontoceti Family: Phocoenidae (porpoises) Genus: Phocoena Harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena (last proven sighting in 1988) Family: Monodontidae (narwhals) Genus: Delphinapterus Beluga, Delphinapterus leucas (last sighted in 1985) Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins) Genus: Lagenorhynchus White-beaked dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris (sighted once in 2008) Genus: Tursiops Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus (sighted once in 2020 and maybe also in 2015)
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 Brandt's bat, Myotis brandti Pond bat, Myotis dasycneme Daubenton's bat, Myotis daubentonii Whiskered bat, Myotis mystacinus Natterer's bat, Myotis nattereri Subfamily: Vespertilioninae Genus: Barbastella Western barbastelle, B. barbastellus (unproven) Genus: Eptesicus Northern bat, Eptesicus nilssoni Genus: Nyctalus Common noctule, Nyctalus noctula Genus: Pipistrellus Nathusius' pipistrelle, Pipistrellus nathusii Common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus Soprano pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pygmaeus Genus: Plecotus Brown long-eared bat, P. auritus Genus: Vespertilio Parti-coloured bat, Vespertilio murinus
Order: Eulipotyphla (hedgehogs, shrews and moles)
Hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines, shrews closely resemble mice, and moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs) Subfamily: Erinaceinae Genus: Erinaceus West European hedgehog, E. europaeus Northern white-breasted hedgehog, E. roumanicus Family: Soricidae (shrews) Subfamily: Soricinae Tribe: Nectogalini Genus: Neomys Eurasian water shrew, Neomys fodiens Mediterranean water shrew, Neomys anomalus Tribe: Soricini Genus: Sorex Common shrew, Sorex araneus Laxmann's shrew, Sorex caecutiens Eurasian pygmy shrew, Sorex minutus Eurasian least shrew, Sorex minutissimus (one uncertain finding from 1971) Family: Talpidae (moles) Subfamily: Talpinae Tribe: Talpini Genus: Talpa European mole, Talpa europaea
Order: Lagomorpha (lagomorphs)
The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early twentieth 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 (rabbits, hares) Genus: Lepus European hare, L. europaeus Mountain hare, L. timidus
Order: Rodentia (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 (beavers) Genus: Castor Eurasian beaver, C. fiber Family: Sciuridae (squirrels) Subfamily: Sciurinae Tribe: Sciurini Genus: Sciurus Red squirrel, S. vulgaris Tribe: Pteromyini Genus: Pteromys Siberian flying squirrel, P. volans Family: Gliridae (dormice) Subfamily: Leithiinae Genus: Eliomys Garden dormouse, Eliomys quercinus (last sighted in 1986) Genus: Muscardinus Hazel dormouse, Muscardinus avellanarius (last sighted in 1986) Family: Dipodidae (jerboas) Subfamily: Sicistinae Genus: Sicista Northern birch mouse, Sicista betulina Family: Cricetidae Subfamily: Arvicolinae Genus: Arvicola European water vole or north-western water vole, Arvicola amphibius Genus: Clethrionomys Bank vole, Myodes glareolus or Clethrionomys glareolus Genus: Microtus Field vole, Microtus agrestis Common vole, Microtus arvalis Root vole, Microtus oeconomus (one lower jaw found in 1970) Sibling vole, Microtus levis European pine vole, Microtus subterraneus Genus: Myopus Wood lemming, Myopus schisticolor (first found in 2019) Genus: Ondatra Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus (introduced) Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.) Subfamily: Murinae Genus: Apodemus Striped field mouse, Apodemus agrarius Yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis Ural field mouse, Apodemus uralensis Genus: Micromys Harvest mouse, Micromys minutus Genus: Rattus Brown rat, Rattus norvegicus Black rat, Rattus rattus Genus: Mus House mouse, Mus musculus
See also Fauna of Estonia List of chordate orders Lists of mammals by region List of prehistoric mammals Mammal classification List of mammals described in the 2000s
External links Eesti imetajate levikuatlas
References