The British Isles are home to well over 60 species of mammal. The following species of mammal are currently (2003) found in the British Isles and the surrounding seas (listed by taxonomic Order).
For information on mammal ecology and conservation issues, see Derek Yalden's lecture notes, or take a look at our Mammals of the British Isles Handbook: 4th edition, an 800-page full colour reference work on all of Britain's species. Available for £60 (or £50 to members).
For more information on each species in the list below, see our Mammal Factsheets.
Order: Insectivora - insectivores
Erinaceus europaeus - Hedgehog
Talpa europaea - Mole
Sorex araneus - Common shrew
Sorex minutus - Pygmy shrew
Neomys fodiens - Water shrew
Crocidura suaveolens - Lesser white-toothed shrew
Crocidura russula - Greater white-toothed shrew
Order: Chiroptera - bats
Rhinolophus ferrumequinum - Greater horseshoe bat
Rhinolophus hipposideros - Lesser horseshoe bat
Myotis mystacinus - Whiskered bat
Myotis brandtii - Brandt's bat
Myotis nattereri - Natterer's bat
Myotis bechsteinii - Bechstein's bat
Myotis daubentonii - Daubenton's bat
Eptesicus serotinus - Serotine
Nyctalus noctula - Noctule
Nyctalus leisleri - Leisler's bat
Pipistrellus pipistrellus - Common pipistrelle
Pipistrellus pygmaeus - Soprano pipistrelle
Pipistrellus nathusii - Nathusius' pipistrelle
Barbastella barbastellus - Barbastelle
Plecotus auritus - Brown long-eared bat
Plecotus austriacus - Grey long-eared bat
Order: Lagomorpha - hares and rabbits
Oryctolagus cuniculus - Rabbit
Lepus europaeus - Brown hare
Lepus timidus - Mountain hare
Order: Rodentia - rodents
Sciurus carolinensis - Grey squirrel
Sciurus vulgaris - Red squirrel
Myodes glareolus - Bank vole
Microtus agrestis - Field vole
Microtus arvalis - Orkney/Guernsey vole
Arvicola terrestris - Water vole
Apodemus sylvaticus - Wood mouse
Apodemus flavicollis - Yellow-necked mouse
Micromys minutus - Harvest mouse
Mus domesticus - House mouse
Rattus norvegicus - Common rat
Rattus rattus - Ship rat
Muscardinus avellanarius - Common dormouse
Glis glis - Edible/Fat dormouse
Order: Carnivora - carnivores
Vulpes vulpes - Fox
Martes martes - Pine marten
Mustela erminea - Stoat
Mustela nivalis - Weasel
Mustela putorius - Polecat
Mustela furo - Ferret
Neovison vison (previously Mustela vison) - Mink
Meles meles - Badger
Lutra lutra - Otter
Felis silvestris - Wildcat
Felis catus - Feral cat
Order: Artiodactyla - even-toed ungulates (deer, cattle etc)
Cervus elaphus - Red deer
Cervus nippon - Sika deer
Dama dama - Fallow deer
Capreolus capreolus - Roe deer
Muntiacus reevesi - Muntjac
Hydropotes inermis - Chinese water deer
Rangifer tarandus - Reindeer
Capra hircus - Feral goat
Ovis aries - Feral sheep
Bos taurus - Domestic cattle
Sus scrofa - Wild boar/feral pig
Order: Perissodactyla - odd-toed ungulates
Equus caballus - Horse
Order: Marsupialia - marsupials
Macropus rufogriseus - Red-necked wallaby
Order: Pinnipedia - seals
Phoca vitulina - Common seal
Halichoerus grypus - Grey seal
Order: Cetacea - whales and dolphins
The following 12 species of cetacean are those most frequently seen around the UK coastline and therefore can be seen to be resident in British waters. Other species have been recorded but infrequently.
Phocoena phocoena - Harbour porpoise
Tursiops truncatus - Bottle-nosed dolphin
Delphinus delphis - Common dolphin
Lagenorhynchus albirostris - White-beaked dolphin
Leucopleurus acutus - Atlantic white-sided dolphin
Grampus griseus - Risso's dolphin
Globicephala melas - Long-finned pilot whale
Megaptera novaeanliae - Humpback Whale
Orcinus orca - Killer whale
Physeter macrocephalus - Sperm whale
Balaenoptera physalus - Fin whale
Balaenoptera acutorostrata - Minke whale
Vagrant Species (recorded in Britain since 1900) that have visited and been recorded in Britain but are not considered resident British mammals. These mostly include non-terrestrial mammals, such as bats, and aquatic mammals such as seals:
Order Chiroptera: Bats
Tadarida teniotis - European free-tailed bat
Myotis dascycneme - Pond bat
Vespertilio murinus - Particoloured bat
Pipistrellus kuhlii - Kuhl's pipistrelle
Hipsugo savii - Savi's pipistyrelle
Eptesicus nilssonii - Northern bat
Order Pinnipedia: Seals
Phoca hispida - Ringed seal
Phoca groenlandica - Harp seal
Erignathus barbatus - Bearded seal
Cystophora cristata - Hooded seal
Odobenus rosmarus - Walrus
