This list provides information about the status of mammals alive today in Egypt. Three are critically endangered, three are endangered, eight are vulnerable, and one is near threatened. The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed on the respective IUCN Red Lists: CR Critically endangered The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild. EN Endangered The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. VU Vulnerable The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. NT Near threatened The 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. LC Least concern There are no current identifiable risks to the species. DD Data deficient There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species. EX Extinct No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. EW Extinct in the wild Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range.
Order: Tubulidentata (aardvarks)
The order Tubulidentata consists of a single species, the aardvark. Tubulidentata are characterised by their teeth which lack a pulp cavity and form thin tubes which are continuously worn down and replaced.
Family: Orycteropodidae Genus: Orycteropus Aardvark, O. afer
Order: Hyracoidea (hyraxes)
The hyraxes are any of four species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. About the size of a domestic cat they are well furred, with rounded bodies and a stumpy tail. They are native to Africa and the Middle East.
Family: Procaviidae (hyraxes) Genus: Heterohyrax Yellow-spotted rock hyrax, H. brucei Genus: Procavia Cape hyrax, P. capensis
Order: Sirenia (manatees and dugongs)
Sirenia is an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit rivers, estuaries, coastal marine waters, swamps, and marine wetlands. All four species are endangered. These animals live in warm coastal waters from East Africa to Australia, including the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and Pacific.
Family: Dugongidae Genus: Dugong Dugong, D. dugon
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: Hystricognathi Family: Hystricidae (Old World porcupines) Genus: Hystrix Crested porcupine, H. cristata possibly extirpated Suborder: Sciurognathi Family: Gliridae (dormice) Subfamily: Leithiinae Genus: Eliomys Asian garden dormouse, E. melanurus Family: Dipodidae (jerboas) Subfamily: Allactaginae Genus: Allactaga Four-toed jerboa, Allactaga tetradactyla DD Subfamily: Dipodinae Genus: Jaculus Lesser Egyptian jerboa, Jaculus jaculus LC Greater Egyptian jerboa, Jaculus orientalis LC Family: Spalacidae Subfamily: Spalacinae Genus: Nannospalax Middle East blind mole-rat, Nannospalax ehrenbergi LC Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.) Subfamily: Deomyinae Genus: Acomys Cairo spiny mouse, Acomys cahirinus LC Golden spiny mouse, Acomys russatus LC Subfamily: Gerbillinae Genus: Dipodillus North African gerbil, Dipodillus campestris LC Mackilligin's gerbil, Dipodillus mackilligini LC Genus: Gerbillus Pleasant gerbil, Gerbillus amoenus DD Anderson's gerbil, Gerbillus andersoni LC Flower's gerbil, Gerbillus floweri LC Lesser Egyptian gerbil, Gerbillus gerbillus LC Pygmy gerbil, Gerbillus henleyi LC Balochistan gerbil, Gerbillus nanus LC Pale gerbil, Gerbillus perpallidus LC Greater Egyptian gerbil, Gerbillus pyramidum LC Lesser short-tailed gerbil, Gerbillus simoni LC Genus: Meriones Sundevall's jird, Meriones crassus LC Libyan jird, Meriones libycus LC Shaw's jird, Meriones shawi LC Genus: Pachyuromys Fat-tailed gerbil, Pachyuromys duprasi LC Genus: Psammomys Sand rat, Psammomys obesus LC Genus: Sekeetamys Bushy-tailed jird, Sekeetamys calurus LC Subfamily: Murinae Genus: Arvicanthis African grass rat, Arvicanthis niloticus LC Genus: Nesokia Short-tailed bandicoot rat, Nesokia indica LC
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 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 Cape hare, L. capensis
Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)
The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and gymnures. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats.
Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs) Subfamily: Erinaceinae Genus: Hemiechinus Long-eared hedgehog, H. auritus Genus: Paraechinus Desert hedgehog, P. aethiopicus
Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons) The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. Shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice, while moles are stout-bodied burrowers. Family: Soricidae (shrews) Subfamily: Crocidurinae Genus: Crocidura Flower's shrew, C. floweri African giant shrew, C. olivieri Egyptian pygmy shrew, C. religiosa Lesser white-toothed shrew, C. suaveolens Genus: Suncus Asian house shrew, S. murinus
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: Pteropodidae (flying foxes, Old World fruit bats) Subfamily: Pteropodinae Genus: Rousettus Egyptian fruit bat, R. aegyptiacus Family: Vespertilionidae Subfamily: Vespertilioninae Genus: Eptesicus Botta's serotine, Eptesicus bottae LC Genus: Hypsugo Desert pipistrelle, Hypsugo ariel DD Genus: Nycticeinops Schlieffen's bat, Nycticeinops schlieffeni LC Genus: Otonycteris Desert long-eared bat, Otonycteris hemprichii LC Genus: Pipistrellus Egyptian pipistrelle, Pipistrellus deserti LC Kuhl's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus kuhlii LC Rüppell's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus rueppelli LC Genus: Plecotus Christie's big-eared bat, Plecotus christiei DD Family: Rhinopomatidae Genus: Rhinopoma Egyptian mouse-tailed bat, R. cystops Lesser mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma hardwickei LC Greater mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma microphyllum LC Family: Molossidae Genus: Tadarida Egyptian free-tailed bat, Tadarida aegyptiaca LC European free-tailed bat, Tadarida teniotisLC Family: Emballonuridae Genus: Taphozous Naked-rumped tomb bat, Taphozous nudiventris LC Egyptian tomb bat, Taphozous perforatus LC Family: Nycteridae Genus: Nycteris Egyptian slit-faced bat, Nycteris thebaica LC Family: Rhinolophidae Subfamily: Rhinolophinae Genus: Rhinolophus Geoffroy's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus clivosus LC Lesser horseshoe bat, R. hipposideros Subfamily: Hipposiderinae Genus: Asellia Trident leaf-nosed bat, Asellia tridens
Order: Cetacea (whales and dolphins and porpoises) 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.
Species listed below also includes species being recorded in Levantine Sea. Suborder: Mysticeti Family: Balaenopteridae Genus: Balaenoptera Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus Bryde's whale, Balaenoptera edeni DD Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata LCUpdate on the Cetacean Fauna of the Mediterranean Levantine Basin Subfamily: Megapterinae Genus: Megaptera Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae LC and CR (Arabian Sea population)Are humpback whales electing the Mediterranean Sea as new residence? Suborder: Odontoceti Family: Physeteridae Genus: Physeter Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus VU Family: Ziphidae Genus: Ziphius Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris LC Genus: Mesoplodon Gervais' beaked whale, Mesoplodon europaeus DD Superfamily: Platanistoidea Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins) Genus: Tursiops Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus LC Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops aduncus DD Genus: Steno Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis DD (once being considered as vagrants, but later confirmed as residential) Genus: Stenella Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba DD Pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata LC Spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris LC Genus: Sousa Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, Sousa chinensis DD Genus: Delphinus Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis LC Indo-Pacific common dolphin, Delphinus tropicalis DD Genus: Grampus Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus LC Genus: Orcinus Orca, O. orca DD Genus: Pseudorca False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens DD Genus: Globicephala Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas DD Short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus DD
Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which eat meat as their primary dietary item. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition. Suborder: Feliformia Family: Felidae (cats) Subfamily: Felinae Genus: Acinonyx Cheetah, A. jubatus presence uncertain Genus: Caracal Caracal, C. caracal Genus: Felis Jungle cat, F. chaus African wildcat, F. lybica Sand cat, F. margarita Subfamily: Pantherinae Genus: Panthera Leopard, P. pardus African leopard, P. p. pardus Family: Viverridae (civets, mongooses, etc.) Subfamily: Viverrinae Genus: Genetta Common genet, G. genetta Family: Herpestidae (mongooses) Genus: Herpestes Egyptian mongoose, H. ichneumon Genus: Ichneumia White-tailed mongoose, I. albicauda Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas) Genus: Hyaena Striped hyena, H. hyaena Genus: Crocuta Spotted hyena, C. crocuta rediscovered Genus: Proteles Aardwolf, P. cristata Suborder: Caniformia Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes) Genus: Canis Golden jackal, C. aureus vagrant African golden wolf, C. lupaster Gray wolf, C. lupus Arabian wolf, C. l. arabs Genus: Vulpes Blanford's fox, V. cana Rüppell's fox, V. rueppelli Red fox, V. vulpes Fennec fox, V. zerda Family: Mustelidae (mustelids) Genus: Ictonyx Saharan striped polecat, I. libyca Genus: Meles Caucasian badger, M. canescens Genus: Mellivora Honey badger, M. capensis presence uncertain, vagrant Genus: Mustela Least weasel, M. nivalis Egyptian weasel, M. n. subpalmata Family: Phocidae (earless seals) Genus: Monachus Mediterranean monk seal, M. monachus possibly extirpated
Order: Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates)
The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and grazing mammals. They are usually large to very large, and have relatively simple stomachs and a large middle toe. Family: Equidae (horses etc.) Genus: Equus African wild ass, E. africanus presence uncertain
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: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats) Genus: Gazella Arabian gazelle, G. arabica presence uncertain Dorcas gazelle, G. dorcas Mountain gazelle, G. gazella presence uncertain Rhim gazelle, G. leptoceros Subfamily: Caprinae Genus: Ammotragus Barbary sheep, A. lervia Genus: Capra Nubian ibex, C. nubiana Family: Camelidae Subfamily: Camelini Genus: Camelus Dromedary camel, C. dromedarius
Globally and locally extinct
The following subspecies are globally extinct Atlas bear, Ursus arctos crowtheri (1870)