The U.S. state of Alabama is home to these known indigenous mammal species. Historically, the state's indigenous species included one armadillo species, sixteen bat species, thirteen carnivore species, six insectivore species, one opossum species, four rabbit species, twenty-two rodent species, and three ungulate species. Four of these native species have become extirpated within the state, including the American bison (Bos bison), cougar (Puma concolor), red wolf (Canis rufus), and the elk (Cervus canadensis).
There are six known introduced mammal species in the state. These include the black rat, brown rat, fallow deer, wild boar, house mouse, and nutria.
Human predation and habitat destruction has placed several mammal species at risk of extirpation or extinction. The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources lists the conservation status of each species within the state with a rank of lowest, low, moderate, high, and highest concern.
Armadillo Image Scientific name Common name Family Conservationconcern Dasypus novemcinctus nine-banded armadillocommon long-nosed armadillo Dasypodidae Low
Bats Image Scientific name Common name Family Conservationconcern Corynorhinus rafinesquii Rafinesque's big-eared bat Vespertilionidae Highest Eptesicus fuscus big brown bat Vespertilionidae Lowest Lasionycteris noctivagans silver-haired bat Vespertilionidae Moderate Lasiurus borealis eastern red bat Vespertilionidae Lowest Lasiurus cinereus hoary bat Vespertilionidae Moderate Lasiurus intermedius northern yellow bat Vespertilionidae High Lasiurus seminolus Seminole bat Vespertilionidae Lowest Myotis austroriparius southeastern myotis Vespertilionidae High Myotis grisescens gray bat Vespertilionidae Highest Myotis leibii eastern small-footed myotis Vespertilionidae Moderate Myotis lucifugus little brown bat Vespertilionidae High Myotis septentrionalis northern long-eared myotis Vespertilionidae High Myotis sodalis Indiana myotis Vespertilionidae Highest Nycticeius humeralis evening bat Vespertilionidae Lowest Perimyotis subflavus eastern pipistrelletricolored bat Vespertilionidae Lowest Tadarida brasiliensis Mexican free-tailed batBrazilian free-tailed bat Molossidae High
Carnivores Image Scientific name Common name Family Conservationconcern Canis latrans coyote Canidae Lowest Canis rufus red wolf Canidae ExtirpatedUrocyon cinereoargenteus gray fox Canidae Lowest Vulpes vulpes red fox Canidae Lowest Ursus americanus American black bear Ursidae Highest Range limited to northeast Alabama and Mobile-Tensaw River Delta. Designated as state land mammal. Procyon lotor raccoon Procyonidae LowestLontra canadensis North American river otter Mustelidae Low Neogale frenata long-tailed weasel Mustelidae High Neogale vison American mink Mustelidae Low Mephitis mephitis striped skunk Mephitidae Low Spilogale putorius eastern spotted skunk Mephitidae HighLynx rufus bobcat Felidae Lowest Puma concolor cougarmountain lionpantherpuma Felidae Extirpated
Eulipotyphlans Image Scientific name Common name Family Conservationconcern Blarina brevicauda northern short-tailed shrew Soricidae Moderate Blarina carolinensis southern short-tailed shrew Soricidae Moderate Cryptotis parva North American least shrew Soricidae Moderate Sorex hoyi American pygmy shrew Soricidae High Sorex longirostris southeastern shrew Soricidae Moderate Scalopus aquaticus eastern mole Talpidae Low
Opossums Image Scientific name Common name Family Conservationconcern Didelphis virginiana Virginia opossumNorth American opossum Didelphidae Low
Rabbits Image Scientific name Common name Family Conservationconcern Sylvilagus aquaticus swamp rabbit Leporidae Low Sylvilagus floridanus eastern cottontail Leporidae Lowest Sylvilagus obscurus Appalachian cottontail Leporidae High Sylvilagus palustris marsh rabbit Leporidae High
Rodents Image Scientific name Common name Family Conservationconcern Castor canadensis North American beaver Castoridae Lowest Glaucomys volans southern flying squirrel Sciuridae LowestMarmota monax woodchuckgroundhog Sciuridae LowestSciurus carolinensis eastern gray squirrel Sciuridae LowestSciurus niger fox squirreleastern fox squirrelBryant's fox squirrel Sciuridae Low Tamias striatus eastern chipmunk Sciuridae Lowest Geomys pinetis southeastern pocket gopher Geomyidae High Microtus ochrogaster prairie vole Cricetidae Moderate Microtus pinetorum pine volewoodland vole Cricetidae Low Neotoma cinerea eastern woodratFlorida woodrat Cricetidae Moderate Neotoma magister Allegheny woodrat Cricetidae HighOchrotomys nuttalli golden mouse Cricetidae Lowest Ondatra zibethicus muskrat Cricetidae Lowest Oryzomys palustris marsh rice rat Cricetidae LowestPeromyscus gossypinus cotton mouse Cricetidae LowestPeromyscus leucopus white-footed mouse Cricetidae LowestPeromyscus polionotus oldfield mousebeach mouse Cricetidae ModeratePeromyscus polionotus ammobates Alabama beach mouse Cricetidae Highest
Range limited to Fort Morgan Peninsula and Ono Island in Baldwin County.Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis Perdido Key beach mouse Cricetidae HighestRange limited to the barrier island of Perdido Key in Baldwin County, Alabama and Escambia County, Florida. Reithrodontomys humulis eastern harvest mouse Cricetidae Moderate Sigmodon hispidus hispid cotton rat Cricetidae Lowest Mus musculus house mouse Muridae Introduced Rattus rattus black rat Muridae Introduced Rattus norvegicus Norway ratbrown rat Muridae Introduced Zapus hudsonius meadow jumping mouse Dipodidae High Myocastor coypus nutriacoypuriver rat Myocastoridae Introduced
Cetaceans Image Scientific name Common name Family Conservationconcern Eubalaena glacialis North Atlantic right whale Balaenidae Critically endangered Balaenoptera ricei Rice's whale Balaenopteridae Critically endangered Balaenoptera acutorostrata common minke whale Balaenopteridae Least concern Balaenoptera borealis sei whale Balaenopteridae Endangered Balaenoptera brydei Bryde's whale Balaenopteridae Least concern Balaenoptera musculus blue whale Balaenopteridae Endangered Balaenoptera physalus fin whale Balaenopteridae Vulnerable Megaptera novaeangliae humpback whale Balaenopteridae Least concern Physeter macrocephalus sperm whale Physeteridae Vulnerable Kogia breviceps pygmy sperm whale Kogiidae Least concern Kogia sima dwarf sperm whale Kogiidae Least concern Mesoplodon bidens Sowerby's beaked whale Ziphiidae Least concern Mesoplodon densirostris Blainville's beaked whale Ziphiidae Least concern Mesoplodon europaeus Gervais' beaked whale Ziphiidae Least concern Peponocephala electra melon-headed whale Ziphiidae Least concern Ziphius cavirostris Cuvier's beaked whale Ziphiidae Least concern Feresa attenuata pygmy killer Whale Delphinidae Least concern Globicephala macrorhynchus short-finned pilot whale Delphinidae Least concern Grampus griseus Risso's dolphin Delphinidae Least concern Lagenodelphis hosei Fraser's dolphin Delphinidae Least concern Orcinus orca killer whale Delphinidae Data deficient Pseudorca crassidens false killer Whale Delphinidae Near threatened Stenella frontalis Atlantic spotted dolphin Delphinidae Least concern Stenella coeruleoalba striped dolphin Delphinidae Least concern Stenella attenuata pantropical spotted dolphin Delphinidae Least concern Stenella longirostris spinner dolphin Delphinidae Least concern Stenella clymene Clymene dolphin Delphinidae Least concern Steno bredanensis rough-toothed dolphin Delphinidae Least concern Tursiops truncatus common bottlenose dolphin Delphinidae Least concern
Ungulates Image Scientific name Common name Family Conservationconcern Bison bison American bisonAmerican buffalo Bovidae Extirpated Cervus canadensis elk Cervidae Extirpated; reintroduction in 1920s failed Dama dama fallow deer Cervidae Introduced Odocoileus virginianus white-tailed deerVirginia deer Cervidae Lowest Sus scrofa wild boar Suidae Introduced
References