List of mammals of Egypt

This list provides information about the status of mammals alive today in Egypt. Three are critically endangered, three are endangered, eight are vulnerable, and one is near threatened. The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed on the respective IUCN Red Lists:

Order: Tubulidentata (aardvarks)
The order Tubulidentata consists of a single species, the aardvark. Tubulidentata are characterised by their teeth which lack a pulp cavity and form thin tubes which are continuously worn down and replaced.


 * Family: Orycteropodidae
 * Genus: Orycteropus
 * Aardvark, O. afer

Order: Hyracoidea (hyraxes)
The hyraxes are any of four species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. About the size of a domestic cat they are well furred, with rounded bodies and a stumpy tail. They are native to Africa and the Middle East.


 * Family: Procaviidae (hyraxes)
 * Genus: Heterohyrax
 * Yellow-spotted rock hyrax, H. brucei
 * Genus: Procavia
 * Cape hyrax, P. capensis

Order: Sirenia (manatees and dugongs)
Sirenia is an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit rivers, estuaries, coastal marine waters, swamps, and marine wetlands. All four species are endangered. These animals live in warm coastal waters from East Africa to Australia, including the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and Pacific.


 * Family: Dugongidae
 * Genus: Dugong
 * Dugong, D. dugon

Order: Rodentia (rodents)


Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% 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.


 * Suborder: Hystricognathi
 * Family: Hystricidae (Old World porcupines)
 * Genus: Hystrix
 * Crested porcupine, H. cristata possibly extirpated
 * Suborder: Sciurognathi
 * Family: Gliridae (dormice)
 * Subfamily: Leithiinae
 * Genus: Eliomys
 * Asian garden dormouse, E. melanurus
 * Family: Dipodidae (jerboas)
 * Subfamily: Allactaginae
 * Genus: Allactaga
 * Four-toed jerboa, Allactaga tetradactyla DD
 * Subfamily: Dipodinae
 * Genus: Jaculus
 * Lesser Egyptian jerboa, Jaculus jaculus LC
 * Greater Egyptian jerboa, Jaculus orientalis LC
 * Family: Spalacidae
 * Subfamily: Spalacinae
 * Genus: Nannospalax
 * Middle East blind mole-rat, Nannospalax ehrenbergi LC
 * Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
 * Subfamily: Deomyinae
 * Genus: Acomys
 * Cairo spiny mouse, Acomys cahirinus LC
 * Golden spiny mouse, Acomys russatus LC
 * Subfamily: Gerbillinae
 * Genus: Dipodillus
 * North African gerbil, Dipodillus campestris LC
 * Mackilligin's gerbil, Dipodillus mackilligini LC
 * Genus: Gerbillus
 * Pleasant gerbil, Gerbillus amoenus DD
 * Anderson's gerbil, Gerbillus andersoni LC
 * Flower's gerbil, Gerbillus floweri LC
 * Lesser Egyptian gerbil, Gerbillus gerbillus LC
 * Pygmy gerbil, Gerbillus henleyi LC
 * Balochistan gerbil, Gerbillus nanus LC
 * Pale gerbil, Gerbillus perpallidus LC
 * Greater Egyptian gerbil, Gerbillus pyramidum LC
 * Lesser short-tailed gerbil, Gerbillus simoni LC
 * Genus: Meriones
 * Sundevall's jird, Meriones crassus LC
 * Libyan jird, Meriones libycus LC
 * Shaw's jird, Meriones shawi LC
 * Genus: Pachyuromys
 * Fat-tailed gerbil, Pachyuromys duprasi LC
 * Genus: Psammomys
 * Sand rat, Psammomys obesus LC
 * Genus: Sekeetamys
 * Bushy-tailed jird, Sekeetamys calurus LC
 * Subfamily: Murinae
 * Genus: Arvicanthis
 * African grass rat, Arvicanthis niloticus LC
 * Genus: Nesokia
 * Short-tailed bandicoot rat, Nesokia indica LC

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

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
 * Desert hedgehog, P. aethiopicus

Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. Shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice, while moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
 * Family: Soricidae (shrews)
 * Subfamily: Crocidurinae
 * Genus: Crocidura
 * Flower's shrew, C. floweri
 * African giant shrew, C. olivieri
 * Egyptian pygmy shrew, C. religiosa
 * Lesser white-toothed shrew, C. suaveolens
 * Genus: Suncus
 * Asian house shrew, S. murinus

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: Pteropodidae (flying foxes, Old World fruit bats)
 * Subfamily: Pteropodinae
 * Genus: Rousettus
 * Egyptian fruit bat, R. aegyptiacus
 * Family: Vespertilionidae
 * Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
 * Genus: Eptesicus
 * Botta's serotine, Eptesicus bottae LC
 * Genus: Hypsugo
 * Desert pipistrelle, Hypsugo ariel DD
 * Genus: Nycticeinops
 * Schlieffen's bat, Nycticeinops schlieffeni LC
 * Genus: Otonycteris
 * Desert long-eared bat, Otonycteris hemprichii LC
 * Genus: Pipistrellus
 * Egyptian pipistrelle, Pipistrellus deserti LC
 * Kuhl's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus kuhlii LC
 * Rüppell's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus rueppelli LC
 * Genus: Plecotus
 * Christie's big-eared bat, Plecotus christiei DD
 * Family: Rhinopomatidae
 * Genus: Rhinopoma
 * Egyptian mouse-tailed bat, R. cystops
 * Lesser mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma hardwickei LC
 * Greater mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma microphyllum LC
 * Family: Molossidae
 * Genus: Tadarida
 * Egyptian free-tailed bat, Tadarida aegyptiaca LC
 * European free-tailed bat, Tadarida teniotisLC
 * Family: Emballonuridae
 * Genus: Taphozous
 * Naked-rumped tomb bat, Taphozous nudiventris LC
 * Egyptian tomb bat, Taphozous perforatus LC
 * Family: Nycteridae
 * Genus: Nycteris
 * Egyptian slit-faced bat, Nycteris thebaica LC
 * Family: Rhinolophidae
 * Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
 * Genus: Rhinolophus
 * Geoffroy's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus clivosus LC
 * Lesser horseshoe bat, R. hipposideros
 * Subfamily: Hipposiderinae
 * Genus: Asellia
 * Trident leaf-nosed bat, Asellia tridens

Order: Cetacea (whales and dolphins and porpoises)
The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. They are the mammals most fully adapted to aquatic life with a spindle-shaped nearly hairless body, protected by a thick layer of blubber, and forelimbs and tail modified to provide propulsion underwater.

Species listed below also includes species being recorded in Levantine Sea.


 * Suborder: Mysticeti
 * Family: Balaenopteridae
 * Genus: Balaenoptera
 * Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus EN
 * Bryde's whale, Balaenoptera edeni DD
 * Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata LC
 * Subfamily: Megapterinae
 * Genus: Megaptera
 * Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae LC and CR (Arabian Sea population)
 * Suborder: Odontoceti
 * Family: Physeteridae
 * Genus: Physeter
 * Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus VU
 * Family: Ziphidae
 * Genus: Ziphius
 * Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris LC
 * Genus: Mesoplodon
 * Gervais' beaked whale, Mesoplodon europaeus DD
 * Superfamily: Platanistoidea
 * Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
 * Genus: Tursiops
 * Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus LC
 * Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops aduncus DD
 * Genus: Steno
 * Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis DD (once being considered as vagrants, but later confirmed as residential )
 * Genus: Stenella
 * Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba DD
 * Pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata LC
 * Spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris LC
 * Genus: Sousa
 * Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, Sousa chinensis DD
 * Genus: Delphinus
 * Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis LC
 * Indo-Pacific common dolphin, Delphinus tropicalis DD
 * Genus: Grampus
 * Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus LC
 * Genus: Orcinus
 * Orca, O. orca DD
 * Genus: Pseudorca
 * False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens DD
 * Genus: Globicephala
 * Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas DD
 * Short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus DD

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.
 * Suborder: Feliformia
 * Family: Felidae (cats)
 * Subfamily: Felinae
 * Genus: Acinonyx
 * Cheetah, A. jubatus presence uncertain
 * Genus: Caracal
 * Caracal, C. caracal
 * Genus: Felis
 * Jungle cat, F. chaus
 * African wildcat, F. lybica
 * Sand cat, F. margarita
 * Subfamily: Pantherinae
 * Genus: Panthera
 * Leopard, P. pardus
 * African leopard, P. p. pardus
 * Family: Viverridae (civets, mongooses, etc.)
 * Subfamily: Viverrinae
 * Genus: Genetta
 * Common genet, G. genetta
 * Family: Herpestidae (mongooses)
 * Genus: Herpestes
 * Egyptian mongoose, H. ichneumon
 * Genus: Ichneumia
 * White-tailed mongoose, I. albicauda
 * Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas)
 * Genus: Hyaena
 * Striped hyena, H. hyaena
 * Genus: Proteles
 * Aardwolf, P. cristata
 * Suborder: Caniformia
 * Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
 * Genus: Canis
 * Golden jackal, C. aureus vagrant
 * African golden wolf, C. lupaster
 * Gray wolf, C. lupus
 * Arabian wolf, C. l. arabs
 * Genus: Vulpes
 * Blanford's fox, V. cana
 * Rüppell's fox, V. rueppelli
 * Red fox, V. vulpes
 * Fennec fox, V. zerda
 * Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
 * Genus: Ictonyx
 * Saharan striped polecat, I. libyca
 * Genus: Meles
 * Caucasian badger, M. canescens
 * Genus: Mustela
 * Least weasel, M. nivalis
 * Egyptian weasel, M. n. subpalmata
 * Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
 * Genus: Monachus
 * Mediterranean monk seal, M. monachus possibly extirpated

Order: Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates)
The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and grazing mammals. They are usually large to very large, and have relatively simple stomachs and a large middle toe.
 * Family: Equidae (horses etc.)
 * Genus: Equus
 * African wild ass, E. africanus presence uncertain

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)
 * Genus: Gazella
 * Arabian gazelle, G. arabica presence uncertain
 * Dorcas gazelle, G. dorcas
 * Mountain gazelle, G. gazella presence uncertain
 * Rhim gazelle, G. leptoceros
 * Subfamily: Caprinae
 * Genus: Ammotragus
 * Barbary sheep, A. lervia
 * Genus: Capra
 * Nubian ibex, C. nubiana

Locally extinct
The following species are locally extinct in the country:
 * Addax, Addax nasomaculatus
 * Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus
 * Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus amphibius
 * African bush elephant, Loxodonta africana
 * African wild dog, Lycaon pictus
 * Arabian oryx, Oryx leucoryx
 * Scimitar oryx, Oryx dammah
 * Lion, Panthera leo
 * Hamadryas baboon, Papio hamadryas
 * Wild boar, Sus scrofa
 * Brown bear, Ursus arctos