List of mammals of Afghanistan

This list of the mammal species in Afghanistan provides information about the status of the 129 mammal species occurring in Afghanistan. Four are endangered, twelve are vulnerable, and five are near threatened. The following classes, which lie on a spectrum of lowest to highest risk of extinction, are used to highlight each species' global conservation status as assessed on the IUCN Red List:

Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
The even-toed ungulates are ungulates whose weight is borne about equally by the third and fourth toes, rather than mostly or entirely by the third as in perissodactyls. There are about 220 artiodactyl species, including many that are of great economic importance to humans.
 * Family: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats)
 * Subfamily: Antilopinae
 * Genus: Gazella
 * Chinkara, G. bennettii
 * Goitered gazelle, G. subgutturosa
 * Subfamily: Caprinae
 * Genus: Capra
 * Wild goat, C. aegagrus presence uncertain
 * Markhor, C. falconeri
 * Siberian ibex, C. sibrica
 * Genus: Ovis
 * Argali, O. ammon
 * Urial, O. vignei
 * Genus: Nemorhaedus
 * Himalayan goral, N. goral
 * Family: Moschidae
 * Genus: Moschus
 * Kashmir musk deer, M. cupreus
 * Family: Cervidae (deer)
 * Subfamily: Cervinae
 * Genus: Cervus
 * Central Asian red deer C. hanglu
 * Bactrian deer, C. h. bactrianus
 * Family: Suidae (pigs)
 * Subfamily: Suinae
 * Genus: Sus
 * Wild boar, S. scrofa

Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which eat meat as their primary dietary item. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.

The following species are listed as historically present:
 * Suborder: Feliformia
 * Family: Felidae (cats)
 * Subfamily: Felinae
 * Genus: Caracal
 * Caracal, C. caracal
 * Genus: Felis
 * Jungle cat, F. chaus
 * African wildcat, F. lybica
 * Asiatic wildcat, F. l. ornata
 * Genus: Lynx
 * Eurasian lynx, L. lynx
 * Genus: Otocolobus
 * Pallas's cat, O. manul
 * Genus: Prionailurus
 * Leopard cat, P. bengalensis
 * Subfamily: Pantherinae
 * Genus: Panthera
 * Leopard, P. pardus
 * P. p. tulliana
 * Snow leopard, P. uncia
 * Family: Herpestidae (mongooses)
 * Genus: Urva
 * Small Indian mongoose, U. auropunctata
 * Indian grey mongoose, U. edwardsii
 * Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas)
 * Genus: Hyaena
 * Striped hyena, H. hyaena
 * Suborder: Caniformia
 * Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
 * Genus: Vulpes
 * Blanford's fox, V. cana
 * Corsac fox, V. corsac
 * Rueppell's fox, V. rueppelli
 * Red fox, V. vulpes
 * Genus: Canis
 * Golden jackal, C. aureus
 * Gray wolf, C. lupus
 * Family: Ursidae (bears)
 * Genus: Ursus
 * Brown bear, U. arctos
 * Asiatic black bear, U. thibetanus
 * Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
 * Genus: Lutra
 * European otter, L. lutra
 * Genus: Martes
 * Yellow-throated marten, M. flavigula
 * Beech marten, M. foina
 * Genus: Meles
 * Caucasian badger, M. canescens presence uncertain
 * Genus: Mellivora
 * Honey badger, M. capensis
 * Genus: Mustela
 * Stoat, M. erminea
 * Least weasel, M. nivalis
 * Genus: Vormela
 * Marbled polecat, V. peregusna

Order: Chiroptera (bats)
The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.
 * Family: Vespertilionidae
 * Subfamily: Myotinae
 * Genus: Myotis
 * Lesser mouse-eared bat, M. blythii
 * Geoffroy's bat, M. emarginatus
 * Hodgson's bat, M. formosus
 * Fraternal myotis, M. frater
 * Kashmir cave bat, M. longipes
 * Whiskered myotis, M. muricola
 * Whiskered bat, M. mystacinus
 * Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
 * Genus: Barbastella
 * Eastern barbastelle, B. leucomelas
 * Genus: Eptesicus
 * Botta's serotine, Eptesicus bottae
 * Gobi big brown bat, Eptesicus gobiensis
 * Serotine bat, Eptesicus serotinus
 * Genus: Hypsugo
 * Savi's pipistrelle, H. savii
 * Genus: Nyctalus
 * Lesser noctule, N. leisleri
 * Mountain noctule, Nyctalus montanus LC
 * Genus: Otonycteris
 * Desert long-eared bat, Otonycteris hemprichii LC
 * Genus: Pipistrellus
 * Indian pipistrelle, Pipistrellus coromandra LC
 * Java pipistrelle, Pipistrellus javanicus LC
 * Kuhl's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus kuhlii LC
 * Common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus LC
 * Least pipistrelle, Pipistrellus tenuis LC
 * Genus: Plecotus
 * Grey long-eared bat, Plecotus austriacus LC
 * Genus: Scotophilus
 * Greater Asiatic yellow bat, Scotophilus heathi LC
 * Genus: Vespertilio
 * Parti-coloured bat, Vespertilio murinus LC
 * Genus: Rhyneptesicus
 * Sind bat, R. nasutus
 * Subfamily: Miniopterinae
 * Genus: Miniopterus
 * Common bent-wing bat, M. schreibersii
 * Family: Rhinopomatidae
 * Genus: Rhinopoma
 * Lesser mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma hardwickei LC
 * Small mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma muscatellum LC
 * Family: Molossidae
 * Genus: Tadarida
 * European free-tailed bat, T. teniotis
 * Family: Megadermatidae
 * Genus: Megaderma
 * Megaderma lyra LC
 * Family: Rhinolophidae
 * Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
 * Genus: Rhinolophus
 * Blasius's horseshoe bat, R. blasii
 * Bokhara horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus bocharicus LC
 * Greater horseshoe bat, R. ferrumequinum
 * Lesser horseshoe bat, R. hipposideros
 * Blyth's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus lepidus LC
 * Mehely's horseshoe bat, R. mehelyi
 * Subfamily: Hipposiderinae
 * Genus: Asellia
 * Trident leaf-nosed bat, Asellia tridens LC
 * Genus: Hipposideros
 * Fulvus roundleaf bat, Hipposideros fulvus LC

Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)
The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and gymnures. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats.


 * Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs)
 * Subfamily: Erinaceinae
 * Genus: Hemiechinus
 * Long-eared hedgehog, H. auritus
 * Genus: Paraechinus
 * Brandt's hedgehog, P. hypomelas

Order: Lagomorpha (lagomorphs)
The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early 20th century, they have since been considered a separate order. They differ from rodents in a number of physical characteristics, such as having four incisors in the upper jaw rather than two.


 * Family: Leporidae (rabbits, hares)
 * Genus: Lepus
 * Cape hare, L. capensis
 * Desert hare, L. tibetanus
 * Tolai hare, L. tolai
 * Family: Ochotonidae (pikas)
 * Genus: Ochotona
 * Large-eared pika, O. macrotis
 * Afghan pika, O. rufescens
 * Turkestan red pika, O. rutila

Order: Primates
The order Primates contains humans and their closest relatives: lemurs, lorisoids, monkeys, and apes.
 * Family: Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys)
 * Genus: Macaca
 * Rhesus macaque, M. mulatta


 * Family: Hominidae (hominids)
 * Genus: Homo
 * Human, H. sapiens

Order: Rodentia (rodents)
Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40 percent of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to 45 kg (100 lb).


 * Suborder: Sciurognathi
 * Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
 * Subfamily: Sciurinae
 * Tribe: Pteromyini
 * Genus: Hylopetes
 * Afghan flying squirrel, H. baberi
 * Genus: Petaurista
 * Red giant flying squirrel, P. petaurista
 * Subfamily: Callosciurinae
 * Genus: Funambulus
 * Northern palm squirrel, Funambulus pennantii
 * Subfamily: Xerinae
 * Tribe: Xerini
 * Genus: Spermophilopsis
 * Long-clawed ground squirrel, Spermophilopsis leptodactylus
 * Tribe: Marmotini
 * Genus: Marmota
 * Long-tailed marmot, Marmota caudata
 * Genus: Spermophilus
 * Yellow ground squirrel, Spermophilus fulvus
 * Family: Gliridae (dormice)
 * Subfamily: Leithiinae
 * Genus: Dryomys
 * Forest dormouse, Dryomys nitedula
 * Family: Dipodidae (jerboas)
 * Subfamily: Allactaginae
 * Genus: Allactaga
 * Small five-toed jerboa, Allactaga elater
 * Euphrates jerboa, Allactaga euphratica
 * Hotson's jerboa, Allactaga hotsoni
 * Subfamily: Cardiocraniinae
 * Genus: Salpingotus
 * Thomas's pygmy jerboa, Salpingotus thomasi
 * Subfamily: Dipodinae
 * Genus: Jaculus
 * Blanford's jerboa, Jaculus blanfordi
 * Family: Calomyscidae
 * Genus: Calomyscus
 * Baluchi mouse-like hamster, Calomyscus baluchi
 * Afghan mouse-like hamster, Calomyscus mystax
 * Family: Cricetidae
 * Subfamily: Cricetinae
 * Genus: Cricetulus
 * Grey dwarf hamster, Cricetulus migratorius
 * Subfamily: Arvicolinae
 * Genus: Alticola
 * Silver mountain vole, Alticola argentatus
 * Genus: Blanfordimys
 * Afghan vole, Blanfordimys afghanus
 * Bucharian vole, Blanfordimys bucharicus
 * Genus: Ellobius
 * Southern mole vole, Ellobius fuscocapillus
 * Genus: Microtus
 * Juniper vole, Microtus juldaschi
 * Tien Shan vole, Microtus kirgisorum
 * Transcaspian vole, Microtus transcaspicus
 * Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
 * Subfamily: Gerbillinae
 * Genus: Gerbillus
 * Swarthy gerbil, Gerbillus aquilus
 * Balochistan gerbil, Gerbillus nanus
 * Genus: Meriones
 * Sundevall's jird, Meriones crassus
 * Libyan jird, Meriones libycus
 * Mid-day jird, Meriones meridianus
 * Persian jird, Meriones persicus
 * Zarudny's jird, Meriones zarudnyi
 * Genus: Rhombomys
 * Great gerbil, Rhombomys opimus
 * Genus: Tatera
 * Indian gerbil, Tatera indica
 * Subfamily: Murinae
 * Genus: Apodemus
 * Ward's field mouse, Apodemus wardi
 * Genus: Millardia
 * Sand-colored soft-furred rat, Millardia gleadowi
 * Genus: Nesokia
 * Short-tailed bandicoot rat, Nesokia indica
 * Genus: Rattus
 * Tanezumi rat, Rattus tanezumi
 * Turkestan rat, Rattus turkestanicus

Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)
The Soricomorpha are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
 * Family: Soricidae (shrews)
 * Subfamily: Crocidurinae
 * Genus: Crocidura
 * Gmelin's white-toothed shrew, C. gmelini
 * Taiga shrew, C. pullata
 * Lesser white-toothed shrew, C. suaveolens
 * Zarudny's shrew, C. zarudnyi
 * Genus: Suncus
 * Etruscan shrew, S. etruscus
 * Asian house shrew, S. murinus
 * Subfamily: Soricinae
 * Tribe: Soricini
 * Genus: Sorex
 * Eurasian pygmy shrew, S. minutus

Locally extinct
The following species are locally extinct in the country:
 * Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus
 * Dhole, Cuon alpinus
 * Onager, Equus hemionus
 * Lion, Panthera leo
 * Tiger, Panthera tigris