There are 115 mammal species known to occur in Montana. Among Montana's mammals, three are listed as endangered or threatened and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks lists a number of species as species of concern.Species of concern are native taxa that are at-risk due to declining population trends, threats to their habitats, restricted distribution, and/or other factors. Designation as a Montana Species of Concern or Potential Species of Concern is based on the Montana Status Rank, and is not a statutory or regulatory classification. Rather, these designations provide information that helps resource managers make proactive decisions regarding species conservation and data collection priorities.
Species are listed by common and scientific names, as per R. S. Hoffman and D. L. Pattie, A Guide to Montana Mammals, 1968.
New World opossums (Order: Didelphimorphia) Family: Didelphidae (true opossums) Virginia opossum, Didelpis virginiana introduced
Lagomorphs (Order: Lagomorpha) Family: Leporidae (rabbits and hares) Pygmy rabbit, Brachylagus idahoensis Snowshoe hare, Lepus americanus Black-tailed jackrabbit, Lepus californicus White-tailed jackrabbit, Lepus townsendii Desert cottontail, Sylvilagus audubonii Eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus Mountain cottontail, Sylvilagus nuttallii
Family: Ochotonidae (pikas) American pika, Ochotona princeps
Even-toed ungulates (Order: Artiodactyla)
Family: Antilocapridae (pronghorns) Pronghorn, Antilocapra americana
Family: Bovidae (bovids) American bison, Bison bison Mountain goat, Oreamnos americanus Bighorn sheep, Ovis canadensis
Family: Cervidae (deer) Moose, Alces alces Elk, Cervus canadensis Caribou, Rangifer tarandus extirpated, vagrant Boreal woodland caribou, R. t. caribou extirpated, vagrant Mule deer, Odocoileus hemionus White-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianius
Carnivorans (Order: Carnivora)
Family: Ursidae (bears) American black bear, Ursus americanus Brown bear, Ursus arctos Grizzly bear, U. a. horribilis
Family: Procyonidae (procyonids) Raccoon, Procyon lotor
Family: Felidae (cats) Canada lynx, Lynx canadensis Bobcat, Lynx rufus Cougar, Puma concolor
Family: Canidae (canids) Coyote, Canis latrans Gray wolf, Canis lupus Northern Rocky Mountain wolf, C. l. irremotus Great Plains wolf, C. l. nubilus extinct Northwestern wolf, C. l. occidentalus introduced Gray fox, Urocyon cinereoargentus Swift fox, Vulpes velox Red fox, Vulpes vulpes
Family: Mustelidae (mustelids) Wolverine, Gulo gulo North American river otter, Lontra canadensis Pacific marten, Martes caurina Black-footed ferret, Mustela nigripes reintroduced Least weasel, Mustela nivalis American ermine, Mustela richardsonii Long-tailed weasel, Neogale frenata American mink, Neogale vison Fisher, Pekania pennanti American badger, Taxidea taxus
Family: Mephitidae (skunks) Striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis Western spotted skunk, Spilogale gracilis
Bats (Order: Chiroptera)
Family: Vespertilionidae (vesper bats)
Pallid bat, Antrozous pallidus Townsend's big-eared bat, Corynorhinus townsendii Big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus Spotted bat, Euderma maculatum Silver-haired bat, Lasionycteris noctivagans Eastern red bat, Lasiurus borealis Hoary bat, Lasiurus cinereus California myotis, Myotis californicus Western small-footed myotis, Myotis ciliolabrum Long-eared myotis, Myotis evotis Little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus Northern myotis, Myotis septentrionalis Fringed myotis, Myotis thysanodes Long-legged bat, Myotis volans
Shrews (Order: Eulipotyphla)
Family: Soricidae Northern short-tailed shrew, Blarina brevicauda Arizona shrew, Sorex arcticus Cinereus shrew, Sorex cinereus Hayden's shrew, Sorex haydeni American pygmy shrew, Sorex hoyi Merriam's shrew, Sorex merriami Montane shrew, Sorex monticolus Dwarf shrew, Sorex nanus American water shrew, Sorex palustris Preble's shrew, Sorex preblei Vagrant shrew, Sorex vagrans
Rodents (Order: Rodentia) Family: Castoridae (beavers) North American beaver, Castor canadensis
Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
Golden-mantled ground squirrel, Callospermophilus lateralis White-tailed prairie dog, Cynomys leucurus Black-tailed prairie dog, Cynomys ludovicianus Northern flying squirrel, Glaucomys sabrinus Thirteen-lined ground squirrel, Ictidomys tridecemlineatus Hoary marmot, Marmota caligata Yellow-bellied marmot, Marmota flaviventris Yellow-pine chipmunk, Neotamias amoenus Least chipmunk, Neotamias minimus Red-tailed chipmunk, Neotamias ruficaudus Uinta chipmunk, Neotamias umbrinus Eastern gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis introduced Eastern fox squirrel, Sciurus niger American red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus Uinta ground squirrel, Urocitellus armatus Columbian ground squirrel, Urocitellus columbianus Wyoming ground squirrel, Urocitellus elegans Richardson's ground squirrel, Urocitellus richardsonii
Family: Heteromyidae (pocket mice and kangaroo rats)
Hispid pocket mouse, Chaetodipus hispidus Ord's kangaroo rat, Dipodomys ordii Olive-backed pocket mouse, Perognathus fasciatus Great Basin pocket mouse, Perognathus parvus
Family: Geomyidae (pocket gophers)
Idaho pocket gopher, Thomomys idahoensis Northern pocket gopher, Thomomys talpoides
Family: Dipodidae (jumping mice)
Meadow jumping mouse, Zapus hudsonius Western jumping mouse, Zapus princeps
Family: Cricetidae (New World mice and rats, voles, lemmings, muskrats)
Sagebrush vole, Lemmiscus curtatus Long-tailed vole, Microtus longicaudus Montane vole, Microtus montanus Prairie vole, Microtus ochrogaster Meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus Water vole, Microtus richardsoni Southern red-backed vole, Myodes gapperi Bushy-tailed woodrat, Neotoma cinerea Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus Northern grasshopper mouse, Onychomys leucogaster White-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus Western deer mouse, Peromyscus sonoriensis Heather vole, Phenacomys intermedius Western harvest mouse, Reithrodontomys megalotis Northern bog lemming, Synaptomys borealis
Family: Muridae (Old World rats and mice) House mouse, Mus musculus introduced Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus introduced
Family: Echimyidae (spiny rats) Nutria, Myocastor coypus introduced
Family: Erethizontidae North American porcupine, Erethizon dorsatum
See also Lists of mammals by region Amphibians and Reptiles of Montana Birds of Montana
Further reading
Notes