There are 53 mammal species native to Ireland or naturalised in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland before 1500, of which 27 are terrestrial mammals and 26 are marine mammals. According to the Ireland Red List of 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.
This article is based on the Ireland Red List No. 12: Terrestrial Mammals for terrestrial mammals, and the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group list for marine mammals, unless otherwise referenced. This article refers to species' global IUCN conservation status (as opposed to local status). "Introduced" means a species is not native to Ireland and was introduced after . "Naturalised" means a species is not native to Ireland, but was introduced , and thus is not invasive. "Vagrant" means a marine species which doesn't have an established population in Ireland, but occasionally appears there.
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.
Family: Macropodidae (kangaroos, wallabies, etc) Genus: Notamacropus Red-necked wallaby – Notamacropus rufogriseus (introduced)
Rodentia (rodents)
Ireland has 9 species of rodent: 3 native, 1 naturalised, and 5 introduced. 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.
Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
Genus: Sciurus Eastern grey squirrel – Sciurus carolinensis (introduced) Red squirrel – Sciurus vulgaris Family: Cricetidae (voles)
Genus: Clethrionomys Bank vole – Clethrionomys glareolus (introduced) Genus: Microtus Field vole – Microtus agrestis (introduced) Family: Muridae (mice, rats, etc)
Genus: Apodemus Wood mouse – Apodemus sylvaticus Genus: Mus House mouse – Mus musculus Genus: Rattus Brown rat – Rattus norvegicus (introduced) Black rat – Rattus rattus (naturalised) Family: Gliridae (dormice)
Genus: Muscardinus Hazel dormouse – Muscardinus avellanarius (introduced)
Lagomorpha (lagomorphs)
Ireland has 3 species of lagomorph: 1 native, 1 naturalised, and 1 introduced. 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.
Family: Leporidae (rabbits, hares) Genus: Lepus European hare – Lepus europaeus (introduced) Irish hare – Lepus timidus hibernicus Genus: Oryctolagus European rabbit – Oryctolagus cuniculus (naturalised)
Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
Ireland has 6 species of even-toed ungulate: 1 native, 1 naturalised, and 4 introduced. 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.
Family: Cervidae (deer)
Genus: Cervus Red deer – Cervus elaphus Sika deer – Cervus nippon (introduced) Genus: Dama European fallow deer – Dama dama (naturalised)
Genus: Capreolus Roe deer – Capreolus capreolus (introduced) Genus: Muntiacus Reeves's muntjac – Muntiacus reevesi (introduced) Family: Bovidae (bovids)
Genus: Capra Feral goat (including Irish goat) – Capra hircus (introduced)
Eulipotyphla (hedgehogs, shrews and moles)
Ireland has 3 species of Eulipotyphla: 2 native, and 1 introduced. 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) are stout-bodied burrowers.
Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs)
Genus: Erinaceus European hedgehog – Erinaceus europaeus Family: Soricidae (shrews)
Genus: Crocidura Greater white-toothed shrew – Crocidura russula (introduced) Genus: Sorex Eurasian pygmy shrew – Sorex minutus
Chiroptera (bats)
Ireland has 9 species of bat: all are native. 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.
Family: Vespertilionidae (vesper bats)
Genus: Myotis Daubenton's bat – Myotis daubentonii Whiskered bat – Myotis mystacinus Natterer's bat – Myotis nattereri
Genus: Nyctalus Lesser noctule – Nyctalus leisleri Genus: Pipistrellus Nathusius' pipistrelle – Pipistrellus nathusii Common pipistrelle – Pipistrellus pipistrellus Soprano pipistrelle – Pipistrellus pygmaeus Genus: Plecotus Brown long-eared bat – Plecotus auritus Family: Rhinolophidae (horseshoe bats)
Genus: Rhinolophus Lesser horseshoe bat – Rhinolophus hipposideros
Carnivora (carnivorans)
Ireland has 14 species of carnivoran: 12 native, and 2 introduced. 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.
Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes) Genus: Vulpes Red fox – Vulpes vulpes Family: Mustelidae (mustelids) Genus: Lutra European otter – Lutra lutra Genus: Martes European pine marten – Martes martes Genus: Meles European badger – Meles meles Genus: Mustela Irish stoat – Mustela erminea hibernica Feral ferret – Mustela furo (introduced) Genus: Neogale American mink – Neogale vison (introduced) Family: Phocidae (earless seals) Genus: Halichoerus Grey seal – Halichoerus grypus Genus: Phoca Harbour seal – Phoca vitulina Genus: Cystophora Hooded seal – Cystophora cristatus (vagrant) Genus: Erignathus Bearded seal – Erignathus barbatus (vagrant) Genus: Pagophilus Harp seal – Pagophilus groenlandicus (vagrant) Genus: Pusa Ringed seal – Pusa hispida (vagrant) Family: Odobenidae (walruses) Genus: Odobenus Walrus – Odobenus rosmarus (vagrant)
Cetacea (whales)
Ireland has 25 cetaceans: all are native. 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.
Family: Balaenidae Genus: Balaena Bowhead whale – Balaena mysticetus (vagrant) Genus: Eubalaena North Atlantic right whale – Eubalaena glacialis (vagrant) Family: Balaenopteridae (rorquals) Genus: Balaenoptera Common minke whale – Balaenoptera acutorostrata Sei whale – Balaenoptera borealis Blue whale – Balaenoptera musculus Fin whale – Balaenoptera physalus Genus: Megaptera Humpback whale – Megaptera novaeangliae
Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins) Genus: Delphinus Common dolphin – Delphinus delphis Genus: Globicephala Long-finned pilot whale – Globicephala melas Genus: Grampus Risso's dolphin – Grampus griseus Genus: Lagenorhynchus White-beaked dolphin – Lagenorhynchus albirostris Genus: Leucopleurus Atlantic white-sided dolphin – Leucopleurus acutus Genus: Orcinus Orca – Orcinus orca Genus: Pseudorca False killer whale – Pseudorca crassidens Genus: Stenella Striped dolphin – Stenella coeruleoalba Genus: Tursiops Common bottlenose dolphin – Tursiops truncatus Family: Monodontidae Genus: Delphinapterus Beluga – Delphinapterus leucas (vagrant) Family: Phocoenidae (porpoises) Genus: Phocoena Harbour porpoise – Phocoena phocoena
Family: Physeteridae Genus: Physeter Sperm whale – Physeter macrocephalus Family: Kogiidae Genus: Kogia Pygmy sperm whale – Kogia breviceps
Family: Ziphidae (beaked whales) Genus: Ziphius Cuvier's beaked whale – Ziphius cavirostris
Genus: Hyperoodon Northern bottlenose whale – Hyperoodon ampullatus Genus: Mesoplodon Sowerby's beaked whale – Mesoplodon bidens Gervais' beaked whale – Mesoplodon europaeus True's beaked whale – Mesoplodon mirus
Locally extinct
The following species are locally extinct in the country: Wolf – Canis lupus, see Wolves in Ireland Eurasian lynx – Lynx lynx Reindeer – Rangifer tarandus Wild boar – Sus scrofa Brown bear – Ursus arctos, see Bears in Ireland
Globally extinct The following species were present in Ireland, and are now extinct globally: Irish elk – Megaloceros giganteus Woolly mammoth – Mammuthus primigenius Cave hyena – Crocuta spelaea
See also
Lists of mammals by region List of mammals of Great Britain Fauna of Ireland Deer of Ireland Wolves in Ireland Bears in Ireland Mammal classification
References
External links
Ireland Red List No. 12: Terrestrial Mammals Irish Whale and Dolphin Group Biodiversity Ireland Biodiversity Maps Atlas of Mammals in Ireland (2016, outdated but still mostly accurate)