List of mammals of Pennsylvania

This list of mammals in Pennsylvania consists of 66 species currently believed to occur wild in the state. This excludes feral domesticated species.

A white-tailed deer fawn. The white-tailed deer is the state animal of Pennsylvania.[1]

Several species recently lived wild in Pennsylvania, but are now extirpated (locally, but not globally, extinct). They are the marsh rice rat (Oryzomys palustris), eastern wolf (Canis lycaon), American marten (Martes americana), wolverine (Gulo gulo), cougar (Puma concolor), Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), moose (Alces alces), and bison (Bison bison).

Opossums

Order: Didelphimorphia

Family: Didelphidae

One species of opossum occurs in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status[2] Notes Distribution[2]
Virginia opossum


Didelphis virginiana Common D. virginiana virginiana Statewide

Shrews and moles

Order: Eulipotyphla

Family: Soricidae

Seven species of shrews live in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Northern short-tailed shrew Blarina brevicauda Common Statewide
Least shrew Cryptotis parva Endangered
locally 		South central
Masked shrew Sorex cinereus Common Statewide
Maryland shrew Sorex cinereus fontinalis Common The Maryland shrew is now considered a subspecies of masked shrew. Piedmont and Valley and Ridge
Long-tailed shrew Sorex dispar Rare Appalachian Uplands
Smoky shrew Sorex fumeus Common Statewide
Pygmy shrew Sorex hoyi Uncommon Presumed statewide
Water shrew Sorex palustris Uncommon Mountain streams

Family: Talpidae

Three species of moles occur in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Star-nosed mole Condylura cristata Uncommon Statewide
Hairy-tailed mole Parascalops breweri Uncommon Statewide
Eastern mole Scalopus aquaticus Uncommon Piedmont and Valley and Ridge

Bats

Order: Chiroptera

Family: Vespertilionidae

Eleven species of evening bats occur in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Tri-colored bat Perimyotis subflavus Uncommon Statewide
Big brown bat Eptesicus fuscus Common Statewide
Evening bat Nycticeius humeralis Rare Southeastern
Red bat Lasiurus borealis Uncommon Statewide
Seminole bat Lasiurus seminolus Rare Piedmont
Hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus Uncommon Statewide
Small-footed myotis Myotis leibii Threatened
locally 		Statewide
Northern long-eared bat Myotis septentrionalis Statewide
Little brown myotis Myotis lucifugus Common Statewide
Indiana bat Myotis sodalis Endangered Central
Silver-haired bat Lasionycteris noctivagans Uncommon Statewide

Rabbits and hares

Order: Lagomorpha

Family: Leporidae

Three species of rabbits and hares occur in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Eastern cottontail


Sylvilagus floridanus Common Statewide
Appalachian cottontail Sylvilagus obscurus Uncommon Eastern mountains
Snowshoe hare Lepus americanus Rare Appalachian Uplands
European hare Lepus europaeus Common Introduced Northeastern area

Rodents

Order: Rodentia

Family: Castoridae

One species of beaver occurs in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
North American beaver Castor canadensis Reintroduced Statewide

Family: Myocastoridae

One species of porcupine occurs in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
North American porcupine Erethizon doratum Uncommon Northern and central

Family: Dipodidae

Two species of jumping mice occur in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Woodland jumping mouse Napaeozapus insignis Common Northern and western
Meadow jumping mouse Zapus hudsonius Common Statewide

Family: Cricetidae

Nine species of voles and New World rats and mice occur in Pennsylvania.

Subfamily Arvicolinae (lemmings, voles, and muskrats)

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Rock vole Microtus chrotorrhinus Rare Northeast
Meadow vole Microtus pennsylvanicus Common Statewide
Woodland vole Microtus pinetorum Common Statewide
Southern bog lemming Synaptomys cooperi Uncommon Statewide
Southern red-backed vole Myodes gapperi Common Statewide
Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus Common Statewide

Subfamily Neotominae (North American rats and mice)

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Allegheny woodrat Neotoma magister Threatened Mountain ridges
Eastern deer mouse Peromyscus maniculatus Common Statewide
White-footed mouse Peromyscus leucopus Common Statewide

Family: Muridae

Three species of Old World rats and mice occur in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
House mouse Mus musculus Introduced Statewide
Brown rat Rattus norvegicus Introduced Statewide
Black rat Rattus rattus Introduced Statewide

Family: Sciuridae

Eight species of squirrels, chipmunks, and marmots occur in Pennsylvania.

Subfamily Sciurinae (tree squirrels and flying squirrels)

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Eastern gray squirrel


Sciurus carolinensis Common Statewide
Fox squirrel Sciurus niger Uncommon Southern and western
American red squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus Common Statewide
Northern flying squirrel Glaucomys sabrinus Rare Northern
Southern flying squirrel Glaucomys volans Common Statewide

Subfamily Xerinae (chipmunks and ground squirrels)

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Groundhog Marmota monax Common Statewide
Thirteen-lined ground squirrel Ictidomys tridecemlineatus Introduced Mercer and Venango Counties
Eastern chipmunk Tamias striatus Common Statewide

Carnivorans

Order: Carnivora

Family: Felidae

One species of cat occurs in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Bobcat Lynx rufus Rare L. rufus rufus Appalachian Uplands

Family: Canidae

Three species of canids occur in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Coyote Canis latrans Common Eastern coyote, C. latrans ssp. Statewide
Gray fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus Common Statewide
Red fox Vulpes vulpes Common Eastern American red fox, V. vulpes fulvus Statewide

Family: Ursidae

One species of bear occurs in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Black bear Ursus americanus Common U. americanus americanus Appalachian Mountains in Central Pennsylvania

Family: Mephitidae

Two species of skunks occur in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Striped skunk Mephitis mephitis Common Statewide
Eastern spotted skunk Spilogale putorius Rare South central

Family: Mustelidae

Seven species of mustelids occur in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
River otter Lontra canadensis Rare L. canadensis canadensis Northern
Least weasel Mustela nivalis Uncommon M. nivalis allegheniensis Western two-thirds
American ermine Mustela richardsonii Uncommon Statewide except southwest
Long-tailed weasel Neogale frenata Common Statewide
Mink Neogale vison Common N. vison mink Statewide
Fisher Pekania pennanti Reintroduced North central
Badger Taxidea taxus Uncommon [3] Western two-thirds

Family: Procyonidae

One species of raccoons occurs in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Raccoon Procyon lotor Common Eastern raccoon, P. lotor lotor Statewide

Hoofed mammals

Order: Artiodactyla

Family: Cervidae

Two species of deer occur in Pennsylvania.

Common name Scientific name Status Notes Distribution
Elk Cervus canadensis Reintroduced Eastern elk once inhabited the state, but were driven to extinction. Rocky Mountain elk were introduced in their place in the early 20th century, and the population has risen steadily since then. North central
White-tailed deer


Odocoileus virginianus Common Northern white-tailed deer, O. virginianus borealis Statewide

References
  1. "About Pennsylvania". Pennsylvania website. Archived from the original on 2009-10-14. Retrieved 2009-10-14. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  2. Except where noted otherwise, status and distribution come from "Mammals of Pennsylvania". The American Society of Mammalogists website. Retrieved 2011-06-09. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  3. "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". Iucnredlist.org. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
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