Mammals

Welcome to the home of MammalScoop! The point of this site is to educate the public about the mammals found all over the Earth. It is an ongoing project as we love learning about all mammals as we develop our site. There is always a different, new and exciting mammal to learn about, and many new facts about mammals, so check back frequently.

Mammals of the World

There are an estimated 5,500 different and distinct species of mammals found all over the world. Whether you are looking for mammals in the Arctic, in the hot, dry savannas of Africa, or the thick jungles of South America, mammals are to be seen everywhere.

Mammals are some of the warm-blooded animals on the planet. In fact, all mammals are warm-blooded, and that is one of the main determining factors of being classified as a mammal. All mammals also have some quantity of either hair or fur covering all or portions of their bodies. Mammals also give birth to live young, like humans, although there are some species of mammals that do in fact lay eggs.

Mammals List

Start at our list of mammals to find all information relating to the species. Mammals are listed in alphabetical order, and the various different names given to a species are included.

The last of its kind, the Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatu) is the only remaining member of the ’short-faced’ bear subfamily (Tremarctina). They are also known as the Andean Bear, and known as ukuko, ucumari, or jukumari to the locals.

Native to South America, the Spectacled Bear is a small species of bear. Females are the smaller of the two sexes, and an adult can weigh up to 181 kg. The adult male Spectacled Bear can weigh up to 440 lbs. These bears have black fur, except for a marking across their upper chest and face which are shades of beige.

As mentioned, the Spectacled Bear is from South America, and are in fact the only remaining species of bear that is native to South America. Their range covers parts of Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Panama, Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia. The Spectacled Bear is the only remaining species of bear that is native to South America. These bears are excellent climbers, greatly aiding in their survival.

Spectacled Bear Classification

As far as this article is concerned, Weasels are referring to the family of carnivorous mammals called Mustelidae. In related circles, Mustelidae is commonly referred to as “the Weasel family”. This is not exactly accurate however, as Weasels themselves form an individual genus within the family, called Mustela. In the past, the family Mustelidae has been a catch-all category for certain carnivorous mammals that lacked classification, making the “Weasel Family” the largest in the Order Carnivora, and quite a diverse group of animals. This family contains weasels, otters, ferrets, wolverines, badgers, honey badgers, polecats and minks, among others (see classification below).

As you can tell, there is a wide variation between the species within the Weasel family, but there are still common characteristics between them all. Most are nocturnal and solitary and do not hibernate during the cold season. They are normally smaller mammals that have thick fur, and have short legs, and small, rounded ears.

Mammals in the Mustelidae family are all predominately carnivorous. They all have teeth that have been adapted to eating meat. Some Mustelids will however eat vegetable matter in some quanitity.

Weasel Classification

The Japanese Otter (Lutra nippon) is an otter native to Japan, and its classification has come under some scrutiny. While some groups classify the Japanese Otter as Lutra nippon as mentioned, the IUCN actually classifies it as part of Lutra lutra, and is rated as ‘Near Threatened’ by the IUCN. Groups that classify it as Lutra nippon believe the Japanese Otter is nearing extinction.

They used to be widespread throughout the country, but are closing in on endangerment due to a dwindling food supply and destruction of their natural habitat. The Japanese Otter is now thought to be living only on the Japanese island of Shikoku.

Japanese Otter Classification

The White-nosed Coati (Nasua narica) is native to the area stretching from Colombia up to New Mexico and southeastern Arizona. They stay in both moist and dry wooded areas with altitudes below 11,500 ft. The White-nosed Coati is a member of the Raccoon family (Procyonidae). These mammals are also known as the Antoon, the Pizote, or in Mexico, the Tejón (which means badger).

The White-nosed Coati are normally diurnal, but nocturnal activity has been observed in situations where food is more abundant, or at least more easily accessible, during the nighttime hours. During the night, the White-nosed Coati will climb a specific tree to sleep. Young White-nosed Coati’s will form social groups, along with the female members of the species, but adult males lead solitary lives. Within the social groups, much time is spent on grooming one another, and themselves. The White-nosed Coati utilizes many different vocal sounds to communicate with others.

What does the White-nosed Coati eat?

The White-nose Coati is an omnivore, meaning it eats both meat and plant matter. Their main diet consists of small invertebrates (worms, snails, insects, etc.), eggs, carrion and fruit. The White-nosed Coati both forages on the forest floor and climbs through the tree canopies looking for food. Like their Raccoon cousins, the White-nosed Coati will raid human food and trash if given the opportunity.

What are the White-nosed Coati’s predators?

The main predators that the White-nosed Coati needs to worry about are large cats, boa constrictors, birds of prey, the Tayra, and humans.

White-nosed Coati Classification

White-nosed Coati Subspecies

There are four subspecies of the White-nosed Coati.

The Bearded Pig (Sus barbatus) can be distinguished by it’s very prominent and unruly ‘beard’. They are also known as the Bornean Bearded Pig. In addition to the beard, some of these pigs also have tassels on their tails.

Southeast Asia is the main area where the Bearded Pig can be found. This area includes the mangrove forests and rainforests of Borneo, Sumatra and parts of the Philippines.

The Bearded Pig stays in groups consisting of family members, although they can be cross-bred with other species of the Suidae family. They reach sexual maturity when they are 18 months old.

Bearded Pig Classification

Townsend’s Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) is native to the North American countries of Canada, Mexico and the United States of America. It is a vesper bat (meaning ‘evening’) and part of the Vespertilionidae family. They tend to stay and live near rocky areas, concentrated where old mine tunnels or caves are abundant. Without these areas, the Townsend’s Big-eared Bat has also been known to inhabit old, and/or abandoned buildings. They live for up to 16 years on average, and are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Considered a medium-sized bat, the Townsend’s Big-eared Bat has very flexible, and extremely long ears. They grow to a length of about 4 inches (10 cm) with a 2 inch (5 cm) tail. During flight, their 7 to 12 gram body weight is flown with a wingspan reaching 28 cm. Their bodies are almost uniformly colored, but they are dark brown on their back, with a slightly lighter coloring on their sides. Their undersides are lighter still, but not by much. The Townsend’s Big-eared Bat is usually identified by their nearly uniform coloration. Either side of their snout also sport small lumps.

The male Townsend’s Big-eared Bat lives a very solitary lifestyle, that is, solitary from females. Males and females live in completely separate roosting sites during the summer months. The females stay with their young in maternity colonies that reach numbers up to 200 individuals.

What does the Townsend’s Big-eared Bat eat?

The diet of this bat is completely insectivorous. They eat a wide range of insects, but the most notable are moths, flies, sawflies, and dung beetles.

Does the Townsend’s Big-eared Bat hibernate?

Packed into very tight clusters to keep body temperature at consistent levels, the Townsend’s Big-eared Bat hibernates through the colder months withstanding temperatures ranging from 0°C to 11.5°C. The males tend to move to warmer places for hibernation, with the females sticking to colder temperatures. Townsend’s Big-eared Bats wake up frequently during hibernation, to move around the cave, or find a new one altogether. These bats also get very fat during the hibernation period.

Townsend’s Big-eared Bat Classification

Townsend’s Big-eared Bat Sub-Species

There are four subspecies of the Townsend’s Big-eared Bat.

The Antarctic Minke Whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) is one of two species of Minke Whales within the Rorqual family. They are also known as the Southern Minke Whale. This species of whale is considered ‘data deficient’ by the IUCN, but population estimates are around 500,000.

In comparison to other Rorquals and Baleen Whales, the Antarctic Minke Whale is one of the smaller species. The range of lengths for adult Antarctic Minke Whales are from 7.2 meters to 10.5 meters. The weight of this whale ranges from 5.8 tons to 9.1 tons. Females tend to be about 1 meter longer than their male counterparts.

The back of the Antarctic Minke Whale is a dart grey in color, while their bellies are white. Their flippers have a white leading edge on them, but the rest is a dark grey. The Antarctic Minke Whale also has a double strip of lighter grey on each side of their bodies that start at their belly and rise up their sides.

Antarctic Minke Whale Habitat

The distribution range of the Antarctic Minke Whale is all oceans in the southern hemisphere. During the summer months, they tend to swim closer to Antarctica, while they move more northern in the winter months. During the winter, their more northern area overlaps with the Common Minke Whale.

Antarctic Minke Whale Classification

Extinct for about 27,500 years, the European Cave Bear (Ursus spelaeus) as a species became victim to the Last Glacial Maximum during the Pleistocene era. The European Cave Bear, or just Cave Bear, received its name from the fact that many of their fossils were discovered inside caves. This means the Cave Bear spent more time in caves than normal bears, and most likely used them for everyday shelter, and not just for hibernation. Some caves in Europe contain layers of bones, almost exclusively from European Cave Bears.

European Cave Bear Habitat

Remains of the European Cave Bear have been found in many European countries. The largest amount of fossil remains has been found in Switzerland, Austria, southern Germany, northern Spain and Italy, Romania, Hungary and Croatia. There has been so many bones found in some areas that some experts believe that the European Cave Bear may have lived in large herds in some areas. The large amount of bones may also have been due to a layering over a long period of time. As for actual geology, the European Cave Bear lived in low mountainous and forested regions that were littered with limestone caves.

European Cave Bear Classification

The extinct Dwarf Panda (Ailuropoda minor) came in at roughly half the size of today’s Giant Panda. The Dwarf Panda reached lengths of 3 feet. Even though the Dwarf Panda has been extinct for a long time, their size wasn’t really known until a skull was discovered in China in 2007.

Dwarf Panda Food

The Dwarf Panda, like the Giant Panda today, ate bamboo shoots as it’s primary food source. Fossilized teeth show wear patterns and the skull shows muscle markings indicating that the Dwarf Panda was a very heavy chewer, required for eating bamboo.

Dwarf Panda Classification

The Mongoose family (Herpestidae) contains 30 species of mammals. They are all carnivores, and range in size from 1 foot to 4 feet in length, and from 280 g to 4 kg in weight.

Intelligence is a trait seen in some mongoose species, and as such, they have been successfully domesticated, and even taught tricks. They are often taken in as pets with a desire for them to control vermin.

Mongooses are extremely cunning predators, and are surprisingly agile with a very thick coat. Some species (for example the Indian Mongoose) are used as fighting mongooses: people use them to kill venomous snakes, particularly the cobra.

Mongoose Habitat

The natural mongoose habitat encompasses southern Europe, Africa and southern Asia. They basically extend from mainland Africa to southern Eurasia. Wild mongooses have also been introduced to some Hawaiian and Caribbean islands.

Mongoose Food

Typical mongoose food includes lizards, snakes, crabs, insects, worms, rodents, and other small mammals and birds. When hard pressed to find one of these items, a mongoose will also eat eggs and carrion from other animals. Some Mongooses are typically solitary animals, but some species of mongoose do in fact travel in groups, and share all food.

Mongoose Classification