This is a list of the mammal species recorded on Christmas Island. The island had five native and endemic land mammal species, of which three are now presumed to be extinct.John Woinarski "Australian endangered species: Christmas Island Shrew" The Conversation, 9 May 2013. Retrieved January 21, 2015. In addition, five wild mammals have been introduced to Christmas Island since settlement.
Carnivora Introduced cats and dogs are a threat to native wildlife on Christmas Island and can carry potentially dangerous pathogens, such as Leptospira."Potentially serious pathogens found in feral cats on Christmas Island" Murdoch University press release. January 18, 2016. Archived November 24, 2017. In 2014, the Australian Government announced a $500,000 investment to help eradicate stray and feral cats on the island, with the aim of complete eradication by 2020. As of 2016, all pet cats on Christmas Island have been registered and de-sexed and no further cats will be permitted onto the island.
NameSpeciesauthorityOrderFamilyNotesFeral cat"Native animals" Christmas Island National Park, Australian government. Retrieved 27 January 2016. Felis catusLinnaeus, 1758CarnivoraFelidaeintroducedFeral dogCanis lupus familiarisLinnaeus, 1758CarnivoraCanidaeintroduced
Chiroptera
Christmas Island was once home to two native bat species, of which only one is extant. The Christmas Island pipistrelle was endemic to the island until 2009, when the last individual was recorded. In 2016, the species was assessed as extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The remaining native bat species Pteropus natalis (Christmas Island flying fox) is classified as critically endangered.
NameSpeciesauthorityOrderFamilyNotesRed ListChristmas Island pipistrellePipistrellus murrayiAndrews, 1900ChiropteraVespertilionidaeendemic, extinct – last reported in 2009Tara Martin, "Threat of extinction demands fast and decisive action" The Conversation, 24 July 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2016.7Christmas Island flying foxPteropus natalisThomas, 1887ChiropteraPteropodidaeendemic"Pteropus natalis — Christmas Island Flying-fox Species Profile and Threats Database, Australian government. Retrieved 27 January 2016.7
Eulipotyphla
The Christmas Island shrew, once abundant on the island, has been very rare since the early twentieth century. Since 1909, only four confirmed individuals have been recorded: two in 1958, and two in 1985.
NameSpeciesauthorityOrderFamilyNotesRed ListChristmas Island shrewCrocidura trichuraDobson, 1889EulipotyphlaSoricidaeendemic – possibly extinct – last observed in 19857
Rodentia
At the time of human settlement, Christmas Island hosted two endemic rodents, the bulldog rat and Maclear's rat. However, both species were extinct by 1908. There is evidence that black rats, introduced to the island in 1899, carried the infectious parasite Trypanosoma lewisi, which was fatal to the native rodents.
NameSpeciesauthorityOrderFamilyNotesRed ListHouse mouseMus musculusLinnaeus, 1758RodentiaMuridaeintroduced7Polynesian ratRattus exulansPeale, 1848RodentiaMuridaeintroduced7Maclear's ratRattus macleariThomas, 1888RodentiaMuridaeendemic – extinct7Bulldog ratRattus nativitatisThomas, 1888RodentiaMuridaeendemic – extinct7Black rat Rattus rattusLinnaeus, 1758RodentiaMuridaeintroduced in 18997
Cetacea
NameSpeciesauthorityOrderFamilyNotesRed ListHumpback whaleMegaptera novaeangliaeGray, 1846CetaceaBalaenopteridaenative migrant7Blue whaleBalaenoptera musculusLinnaeus, 1758CetaceaBalaenoptiidaemigrant7Southern fin whaleBalaenoptera physalus quoyiLinnaeus, 1758CetaceaBalaenoptiidaenative migrant or resident7Sei whaleBalaenoptera borealis schlegeliiLinnaeus, 1758CetaceaBalaenoptiidaenative migrant7Bryde's whaleBalaenoptera brydeiOlsen, 1913CetaceaBalaenoptiidaenative migrant or resident7Antarctic minke whaleBalaenoptera bonaerensisLinnaeus, 1758CetaceaPhyseteridaenative migrant7Sperm whalePhyseter macrocephalusLinnaeus, 1758CetaceaPhyseteridaenative migrant or resident7Jenner M.. 2015. Cetacean Season 2015 . Center for Whale Research – Western AustraliaShort-finned pilot whaleGlobicephala macrorhynchusGray, 1846CetaceaGlobicephalanative migrant or resident7Killer whaleOrcinus orcaLinnaeus, 1758CetaceaDelphinidaenative migrant or resident7Spinner dolphinStenella longirostrisGray, 1828CetaceaDelphinidaenative migrant or resident7Short-beaked common dolphinDelphinus delphisLinnaeus, 1758CetaceaDelphinidaenative migrant or resident7Common bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatusMontagu, 1821CetaceaDelphinidaepossible migrant7
Sirenia
NameSpeciesauthorityOrderFamilyNotesRed ListDugongDugong dugonLacépède, 1799SireniaDugongidaepossible vagrant7
See also List of birds of Christmas Island List of mammals of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands
References
Further reading