77 species of wild mammals can be found the U.S. state of Missouri. Of these, 30 species are rodents, 16 are bats, 15 are carnivorans, 7 are eulipotyphlans, 3 are artiodactyls, another 3 are lagomorphs, and the armadillos, opossums, primates each have one species in the state. Most species have established populations, but some, such as the grey wolf, are not native to the state but are still spotted on rare occasions. Two species, the eastern small-footed myotis and little brown bat are classified as endangered species by the IUCN. Other species, such as feral or domesticated mammals, are not included on this list.
Most species listed in this article are derived from the work The Wild Mammals of Missouri, a 2001 catalogue of all known wild mammal species in the state. Three species in the book, the red wolf (Canis rufus), Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii), and white-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii) are not included as there are no longer any individuals present in Missouri. Unless otherwise noted, range information is provided by the Missouri Department of Conservation's Field Guide.
Artiodactyla Common name and image Scientific name Range Status Family Bovidae — one speciesAmerican bisonBison bisonSmall populations in Barton and Harrison counties. Others live on some private ranches.Near Threatened Family Cervidae (deer) — two speciesElkCervus canadensisCarter, Reynolds, and Shannon counties. Occasional sightings in other areas.Least ConcernWhite-tailed deerOdocoileus virginianusStatewide.Least Concern
Carnivora Common name and image Scientific name Range Status Family Canidae (dogs) — four speciesCoyoteCanis latransStatewide, most common in northern and western grasslands.Least ConcernGray wolfCanis lupusNo permanent populations. Sometimes spotted while travelling between states.Least ConcernRed foxVulpes vulpesStatewide, most common in the north and west.Least ConcernGray foxUrocyon cinereoargenteusStatewide, most common in the Ozarks.Least Concern Family Felidae (cats) — two speciesBobcatLynx rufusStatewide.Least ConcernCougarPuma concolorNo known permanent populations, but there have been numerous sightings statewide.Least Concern Family Mephitidae — two speciesStriped skunkMephitis mephitisStatewide.Least ConcernEastern spotted skunkSpilogale putoriusStatewide.Vulnerable Family Mustelidae — five speciesNorth American river otterLontra canadensisStatewide.Least ConcernLeast weaselMustela nivalisMost areas in the north.Least ConcernLong-tailed weaselNeogale frenataStatewide, most common in the south.Least ConcernAmerican minkNeogale visonStatewide, most common in the Mississippi River lowlands.Least ConcernAmerican badgerTaxidea taxusStatewide, most common in the Osage and Dissected Till Plains.Least Concern Family Procyonidae — one speciesCommon raccoonProcyon lotorStatewide.Least Concern Family Ursidae (bears) — one speciesAmerican black bearUrsus americanusStatewide, most concentrated in the south.Least Concern
Chiroptera Common name and image Scientific name Range Status Family Molossidae (free-tailed bats) — two speciesBig free-tailed batNyctinomops macrotisNative to South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Southeastern US. Occasional wanderers have been recorded in the state. Least ConcernMexican free-tailed batTadarida brasiliensis Individuals from the Southwestern US wander into the state on rare occasions.Least Concern Family Vespertilionidae — fourteen speciesRafinesque's big-eared batCorynorhinus rafinesquiiSoutheastern corner.Least ConcernBig brown batEptesicus fuscusStatewide.Least ConcernSilver-haired batLasionycteris noctivagansStatewide; most common during spring and fall.Least ConcernEastern red batLasurius borealisStatewide; most common in May–September, generally rare in winter, especially in the north.Least ConcernHoary batLasurius cinereusStatewide.Least ConcernSeminole batLasiurus seminolusThe northern limits of its summer migration have been expanding, likely because of climate change. Can now be found in the far south, with some reaching as far north as Pulaski county.Least ConcernSoutheastern myotisMyotis austroripariusSoutheastern corner.Least ConcernGray batMyotis grisescensMost common in the Ozarks, but can be found in some areas north of the Missouri River.VulnerableEastern small-footed myotisMyotis leibiiSouthwestern areas; has been identified in Washington, Iron, Madison counties.EndangeredLittle brown batMyotis lucifugusStatewide.EndangeredNorthern long-eared batMyotis septentrionalisStatewide except for southwestern corner.Near ThreatenedIndiana batMyotis sodalisMost areas in the summer, found in the north during winter.Near ThreatenedEvening batNycticeius humeralisStatewide.Least ConcernTricolored batPerimyotis subflavusStatewide.Vulnerable
Cingulata Common name and image Scientific name Range Status Family Dasypodidae — one speciesNine-banded armadilloDasypus novemcinctusStatewide except for the far north.Least Concern
Didelphimorphia Common name and image Scientific name Range Status Family Didelphidae (opossums) — one speciesVirginia opossumDidelphis virginianaStatewide, less common in the northwest and southeast.Least Concern
Eulipotyphla Common name and image Scientific name Range Status Family Soricidae (shrews) — six speciesNorthern short-tailed shrewBlarina brevicaudaTogether, the short-tailed shrews are found statewide. However, the range of individual Blarina species is somewhat unknown.Least ConcernSouthern short-tailed shrewBlarina carolinensisLeast ConcernElliot's short-tailed shrewBlarina hylophagaLeast ConcernNorth American least shrewCryptotis parvaStatewide.Least ConcernCinereus shrewSorex cinereusNorthern half of the state, most common near streams and in floodplainsLeast ConcernSoutheastern shrewSorex longirostrisStatewide except for the far northwest.Least Concern Family Talpidae — one speciesEastern moleScalopus aquaticusStatewide.Least Concern
Lagomorpha Common name and image Scientific name Range Status Family Leporidae — three speciesBlack-tailed jackrabbitLepus californicusEastern areas.Least ConcernSwamp rabbitSylvilagus aquaticusSoutheastern Mississippi River lowlands.Least ConcernEastern cottontailSylvilagus floridanusStatewide.Least Concern
Primates Common name and image Scientific name Range Status Family Hominidae (great apes) — one speciesHumanHomo sapiensStatewide, largest settlements are Kansas City and St. Louis.Not Evaluated
Rodentia Common name and image Scientific name Range Status Family Castoridae (beavers) — one speciesNorth American beaverCastor canadensisStatewide near rivers and streams.Least Concern Family Cricetidae — sixteen speciesEastern meadow voleMicrotus pennsylvanicusNorthern areas, most common in stream valleys and floodplains.Least ConcernWoodland voleMicrotus pinetorumStatewide.Least ConcernPrairie voleMicrotus ochrogasterStatewide.Least ConcernEastern woodratNeotoma floridanaKnown occurrences in the southern half of the state, potentially present in the north.Least ConcernGolden mouseOchrotomys nuttalliSoutheastern areas.Least ConcernMuskratOndatra zibethicusStatewide.Least ConcernMarsh rice ratOryzomys palustrisExtreme southeast. This book deems the species present in Missouri as O. texensis, the Texas rice rat, which according to genetic evidence may be a distinct species. This does not affect the species count, however.Least ConcernTexas mousePeromyscus attwateriSouthwestern areas.Least ConcernCotton mousePeromyscus gossypinusSoutheastern areas.Least ConcernEastern deer mousePeromyscus maniculatusStatewide.Least ConcernWhite-footed mousePeromyscus leucopusStatewide.Least ConcernFulvous harvest mouseReithrodontomys fulvescensSouthwestern areas.Least ConcernWestern harvest mouseReithrodontomys megalotisStatewide.Least ConcernPlains harvest mouseReithrodontomys montanusWestern areas.Least ConcernHispid cotton ratSigmodon hispidusStatewide except for northeast.Least ConcernSouthern bog lemmingSynaptomys cooperiStatewide except for southwestern corner.Least Concern Family Echimyidae — one speciesNutriaMyocastor coypusIntroduced, now statewide and is most common in the southeast.Least Concern Family Geomyidae (gophers) — one speciesPlains pocket gopherGeomys bursariusNorth and eastern areas.Least Concern Family Heteromyidae — one speciesPlains pocket mousePerognathus flavescensNorthwestern corner; has been found in Atchison county.Least Concern Family Muridae — three speciesHouse mouseMus musculusIntroduced, now statewide.Least ConcernBrown ratRattus norvegicusIntroduced, now statewide.Least ConcernBlack ratRattus rattusIntroduced, now in St. Louis; potentially in Kansas City.Least Concern Family Scuiridae (squirrels) — six speciesSouthern flying squirrelGlaucomys volansStatewide.Least ConcernThirteen-lined ground squirrelIctidomys tridecemlineatusMostly in northwestern areas.Least ConcernGroundhogMarmota monaxStatewide, less common in the Mississippi lowlands.Least ConcernFranklin's Ground SquirrelPoliocitellus frankliniiNorthern quarter.Least ConcernEastern gray squirrelScuirus carolinensisStatewide, most common in the Ozarks and Mississippi River lowlands.Least ConcernFox squirrelSciurus nigerStatewide, more common in the north and western plains.Least Concern Family Zapodidae (jumping mice) — one speciesMeadow jumping mouseZapus hudsoniusStatewide.Least Concern
References