List of mammals of Cantabria

The vertebrate fauna in Cantabria presents a wide diversity thanks to the variety of ecological niches existing in the community and its geographical position, equidistant between the Mediterranean region of the peninsular south and the nearby region of Atlantic Europe.

These lists show all the wild vertebrates living in Cantabria, classified according to the genus and family they belong to. In addition to the scientific name of each species, it also includes the common name in the Spanish language, the vernacular names most commonly used in this community, a brief description, a map of distribution in Spain and the conservation status.

Mammals
In Cantabria, 73 species of wild mammals can be found, grouped into 20 families. Some of them, such as the Spanish mole, the desman, the Granada hare and the broom hare, are considered Iberian endemisms, while others, such as the genet, the American mink or the coypu, are exotic species introduced by man.

In terms of distribution, species such as the fox or the hedgehog are abundant throughout Cantabria, unlike the hare or the brown bear, whose distribution is much more scarce and localized. The conservation status of wild mammals in Cantabria is also diverse, with sixteen species near-threatened, fifteen vulnerable and one, the brown bear, in critical danger of extinction.

Lagomorpha order
Lagomorphs (Lagomorpha, from the Greek lagōs, hare and morphē, form) are an order belonging to the placental mammals related to rodents, from which they differ by possessing two pairs of upper teeth covered with a layer of enamel. Four species of lagomorphs are found in Cantabria, all of them within the family Leporidae (rabbits and hares). Three of them are endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and some, such as the broom hare, only inhabit the mountainous areas of the northern peninsular, between Galicia, Asturias, León and Cantabria.

Rodentia order
Rodents (Rodentia) are the most versatile and numerous order of mammals, with approximately 2280 living species (42% of all living species) distributed throughout all terrestrial and freshwater habitats. Their main common feature is their two large, continuously growing incisors, with which they gnaw seeds, gnaw wood, cut food or defend themselves against predators.

Although they have developed a great variety of forms as a result of adaptation to different habitats and ecological niches, the species present in Cantabria have in common their relatively small size, thick grayish-brown fur and short legs and neck. The Coypu, an invasive species native to South America and cited in the Soba valley, is the one that most deviates from the common pattern, slightly exceeding half a meter in length and six kilograms in weight.

Erinaceomorpha suborder
The erinaceomorphs (Erinaceomorpha) are a suborder of placental mammals that includes a single family, the erinaceids (Erinaceidae), formerly included in the former order Insectivora. It includes the well-known hedgehogs of Eurasia and Africa and the subfamily Galericinae of Southeast Asia.

Soricomorpha suborder
The soricomorphs (Soricomorpha) are a suborder of placental mammals containing the families Nesophontidae, Solenodontidae, Soricidae, and Talpidae. Members of this order belonged to the extinct order Insectivora. Moles and shrews belong to this order.

Chiroptera order
The chiroptera or bats are an order of placental mammals whose upper limbs developed as wings. Three families of Chiroptera are present in Cantabria: the molossids, the rhinolophids or horseshoe bats and the vespertilionids.

Of all of them, the most numerous is the family of vespertilionids, composed of twenty species gathered in six genera: for the genus Myotis; Myotis myotis, M. blythii, M. natereri, M. daubentonii, M. bechstenii, M. emarginata, M. mystacinus, M. capaccini, for the genus Miniopterus; miniopterus schreibersii, for the genus Nyctalus; Nyctalus noctula, N. Lesiopterus, N. leisleri; for the genus Pipistrellus; Pipistrellus pipistrellus, P. pygmaeus, P. kuhlii, P. nathusii, P. savii; for the genus Plecotus, the Plecotus auritus and Plecotus austriacus; for the genus Eptesicus the Eptesicus seronitus and for the genus Barbastella a single species Barbastella barbastellus. The family of horseshoe bats includes three species: the large horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) of large size, the small horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros) and the Mediterranean horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus euryale). Finally, the molossidae family includes the species Tadarida teniotis.

Carnivora order
The carnivores (Carnivora) are an order of placental mammals, characterized by the shape of their molars. It takes its name from the adaptation of most of its members to meat consumption; although several are omnivores.

Artiodactyla order
The artiodactyla (Artiodactyla, from Greek άρτιος (ártios), "pair" and δάκτυλος (dáktylos), "finger") are an order of ungulate mammals whose limbs end in an even number of toes. The most developed toes are the third and fourth toes and, except for hypopotamids, which are the only ones that rest on the ground.