This is a list of mammals of Massachusetts. It includes all mammals currently living in Massachusetts, whether resident or as migrants, as well as extirpated species. For the most part, it does not include each mammal's specific habitat, but instead shows the mammal's range in the state and its abundance.
Chiroptera (bats) In 2008, white-nose syndrome was recorded in Massachusetts. Afterwards, the bat population declined by 98%, and thus, in 2012, the little brown myotis, northern long-eared myotis, and tricolored bats were listed as endangered in the state. NameSpecies/authorityFamilyRange and statusIUCN Red ListBig brown batEptesicus fuscusBeauvois, 1796VespertilionidaeCommon, live statewide7Silver-haired batLasionycteris noctivagansLe Conte, 1831VespertilionidaeMigratory, uncommon, statewide7Eastern red batLasiurus borealisMüller, 1776VespertilionidaeMigratory, common, statewide7Hoary batLasiurus cinereusBeauvois, 1796VespertilionidaeMigratory, rarely seen, statewide7Eastern small-footed myotisMyotis leibiiAudubon & Bachman, 1842VespertilionidaeBerkshire and Hampden counties, extremely rare, listed as special concern7Little brown batMyotis lucifugusLe Conte, 1831VespertilionidaeEndangered, distribution spotty7Northern long-eared myotisMyotis septentrionalisTrouessart, 1897VespertilionidaeEndangered, distribution spotty, reportedly breeding in Martha's Vineyard7Indiana batMyotis sodalisMiller & Allen, 1928VespertilionidaeVery rare, Western Massachusetts only, listed as endangered in the state and federally7Tricolored batPerimyotis subflavusCuvier, 1832VespertilionidaeThreatened, distribution spotty7
Carnivora (carnivorans)
NameSpecies/authorityFamilyRange and statusIUCN Red ListEastern coyoteCanis latransCanidaeCommon; statewide, except Nantucket7Eastern wolfCanis lycaonCanidaeExtirpated; last reported in 1840, although there were two sightings in 1918 and 2007 in Franklin County7Gray foxUrocyon cinereoargenteusCanidaeCommon; statewide except Dukes, Nantucket, and Suffolk counties7 Red foxVulpes vulpesCanidaeCommon; statewide except Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket7RaccoonProcyon lotorProcyonidaeCommon, statewide except Nantucket7American black bearUrsus americanusUrsidaeRarity varies locally; found in most of the state, but not common in southeast Massachusetts.7Canada lynxLynx canadensisFelidaeExtirpated; formerly central and western Massachusetts; reported in Hampshire (1866) and Worcester (1884–1885) counties, questionable reports in the 1930s were probably bobcats; two records in 19917BobcatLynx rufusFelidaeCommon in northeastern, central and western Massachusetts, but rare in southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod; absent in the islands7Eastern cougarPuma concolor couguarFelidaeExtirpated; last known record was in 1858. However, in 1997, a DNA testing of feces found in the Quabbin Reservoir in Franklin County was that of a cougar, although it could have been an escaped captiveWolverineGulo guloMustelidaeExtirpated; lasted reported in 1835, formerly western Massachusetts7North American river otterLontra canadensisMustelidaeCommon; statewide except Suffolk County; records in Nantucket in 1984 and 20077American martenMartes americanaMustelidaeExtirpated; formerly central, western, and possibly northeastern Massachusetts; last reported in Worcester County (1880) although two records in 1992 and 1993 may have come from Vermont7American ermineMustela richardsoniiMustelidaeCommon; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties; rare in Cape Cod7Long-tailed weaselNeogale frenataMustelidaeCommon; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties7Sea minkNeogale macrodonMustelidae Formerly coastal Massachusetts; became extinct from overtrapping7American minkNeogale visonMustelidaeCommon; statewide except Nantucket, possibly extirpated from Martha's Vineyard7FisherPekania pennantiMustelidaeCommon; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties7Striped skunkMephitis mephitisMephitidaeCommon, statewide except the Elizabeth Islands and Nantucket7Bearded sealErignathus barbatusPhocidaeOne record; Essex County (2002)7Grey sealHalichoerus grypusPhocidae Found in Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties; Population has increased after seal hunting became illegal in 1962, known pupping sights are in Monomoy and Muskeget islands7Harp sealPagophilus groenlandicusPhocidaeCommon winter visitor; reported from Plymouth, Suffolk, Essex, and Barnstable counties. Sightings are increasing, especially in winter7Harbor sealPhoca vitulinaPhocidaeA common seal in Massachusetts. Found in coastal areas, including Barnstable, Suffolk, Essex, and Plymouth counties. Regular winter visitor in Cape Cod and the islands. Originally bred in the state but no known breeding areas. However, pups have been reported in Plymouth7Ringed sealPusa hispidaPhocidae Uncommon in Massachusetts; most seen in winter7WalrusOdobenus rosmarusOdobenidae Rare vagrant. Reported from Essex (1937) and Plymouth (1734) counties7
Cetacea (cetaceans)
NameSpecies/authorityFamilyRange and statusIUCN Red ListBowhead whaleBalaena mysticetusBalaenidaeOccasionally seen in winter; probably uncommon7North Atlantic right whaleEubalaena glacialisBalaenidaeUncommon, winter and spring visitor in Cape Cod Bay7 Northern bottlenose whaleHyperoodon ampullatusZiphiidaeRare, pelagic, stranded in Barnstable and Essex counties7Sowerby's beaked whaleMesoplodon bidensZiphiidaeOnly two records in Nantucket7Blainville's beaked whaleMesoplodon densirostrisZiphiidae One record in Essex County7Gervais' beaked whaleMesoplodon europaeusZiphiidaeOne record in Cape Cod7True's beaked whaleMesoplodon mirusZiphiidaeOne record in Nantucket7Cuvier's beaked whaleZiphius cavirostrisZiphiidaePelagic, stranded in Barnstable, Norfolk, and Dukes counties7Beluga whaleDelphinapterus leucasMonodontidaeVagrant, observed in the waters of Essex, Barnstable, Dukes, and Bristol counties7Short-beaked common dolphinDelphinus delphisDelphinidaeUncommon, found in Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, and Nantucket counties7Short-finned pilot whaleGlobicephala macrorhynchusDelphinidaeUncommon, occurs in schools, primarily found in warmer waters offshore7Long-finned pilot whaleGlobicephala melasDelphinidaeUncommon, occurs in schools and is frequently stranded7Risso's dolphinGrampus griseusDelphinidaeUncommon, offshore waters, stranded in Barnstable, Dukes, and Norfolk counties7White-beaked dolphinLagenorhynchus albirostrisDelphinidaeRare, found in coastal waters, reported from Barnstable and Essex counties7Atlantic white-sided dolphinLeucopleurus acutusDelphinidaeCommon, found in coastal waters, stranded in Norfolk, Essex, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket7Killer whaleOrcinus orcaDelphinidaeRare, offshore waters, stranded in Barnstable and Dukes counties, observed in Plymouth and Suffolk counties7Pantropical spotted dolphinStenella attenuataDelphinidaeUncommon, found in offshore waters7Striped dolphinStenella coeruleoalbaDelphinidae Rare, pelagic, reported from Dukes, Nantucket, Plymouth, Barnstable, and Essex counties7Atlantic spotted dolphinStenella frontalisDelphinidae Rare, reported from Nantucket and Dukes counties7Common bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatusDelphinidaeRare, found in inshore waters, stranded in Barnstable and Plymouth counties7Pygmy sperm whaleKogia brevicepsPhyseteroideaRare, found in offshore waters, stranded in Barnstable, Plymouth, Essex, Norfolk, and Dukes counties, recorded in Bristol County waters7Dwarf sperm whaleKogia simaPhyseteroideaRarely seen, stranded in Nantucket and Plymouth counties, distinguished from the pygmy sperm whale by being smaller and having a larger dorsal fin7Sperm whalePhyseter macrocephalusPhyseteroideaRare, formerly abundant offshore, stranded in Barnstable, Dukes, Essex, Nantucket, and Plymouth counties. The largest toothed whale. Dives deep to hunt for food7Harbour porpoisePhocoena phocoenaPhocoenidaeCommon, found entirely in coastal waters7Common minke whaleBalaenoptera acutorostrataRorqualCommon, found in the inshore waters, stranded in Norfolk, Essex, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties7Sei whaleBalaenoptera borealisRorqual Found in Cape Cod Bay and Massachusetts Bay, stranded in Cape Cod (1910 and 1974), Essex (2007), and Plymouth (1948) counties, endangered and rare in Massachusetts7Blue whaleBalaenoptera musculusRorqualOne questionable stranding in Essex County reported in 1755, Recent near-shore records, endangered and rare in Massachusetts7Fin whaleBalaenoptera physalusRorqualCommon but endangered, stranded in Barnstable, Essex, Dukes, and Plymouth counties7Humpback whaleMegaptera novaeangliaeRorqualCommon but endangered, stranded in Barnstable, Dukes, Essex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Suffolk counties7
Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
NameSpecies/authorityFamilyRange and statusIUCN Red ListAmerican bisonBison bisonBovidaeExtirpatedAune, K., Jørgensen, D. & Gates, C. 2017. Bison bison (errata version published in 2018). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T2815A123789863. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T2815A45156541.en. Downloaded on 07 July 2021.MooseAlces alcesCervidaeCommon; found in north, western, and eastern Massachusetts. Total population is over 1000 individuals7 Eastern elkCervus canadensis canadensisCervidaeExtirpated, formerly western Massachusetts; last record in Worcester County in 17327Fallow deerDama damaCervidaeIntroduced in Dukes County; last reported in 19807 White-tailed deerOdocoileus virginianusCervidaeCommon; statewide7 Boreal woodland caribouRangifer tarandus caribouCervidaeExtirpated
Lagomorpha (rabbits and hares)
NameSpecies/authorityFamilyRange and statusIUCN Red ListSnowshoe hareLepus americanusLeporidaeCommon; statewide except Dukes County; introduced to Nantucket7 Black-tailed jackrabbitLepus californicusLeporidaeIntroduced, uncommon; found only in Nantucket7 European hareLepus europaeusLeporidaeIntroduced; found only in Berkshire County7 European rabbitOryctolagus cuniculusLeporidaeIntroduced to Lovells Island and Gallops Island7 Eastern cottontailSylvilagus floridanusLeporidaeIntroduced, common, statewide7 New England cottontailSylvilagus transitionalisLeporidaeRare; formerly common and found statewide, now found only in Cape Cod, Nantucket, and southwestern Massachusetts7
Didelphimorphia (New World opossums)
NameSpecies/authorityFamilyRange and statusIUCN Red ListVirginia opossumDidelphis virginianaDidelphinaeCommon; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket counties7
Rodentia (rodents)