List of mammals of Malta

This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Malta. There are twenty mammal species in Malta, of which one is critically endangered.

The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:

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: Atelerix
 * North African hedgehog, A. algirus

Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.


 * Family: Soricidae (shrews)
 * Subfamily: Crocidurinae
 * Genus: Crocidura
 * Sicilian shrew, Crocidura sicula
 * Genus: Suncus
 * Etruscan shrew, Suncus etruscus

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
 * Greater mouse-eared bat, Myotis myotis
 * Felten's myotis, Myotis punicus
 * Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
 * Genus: Nyctalus
 * Common noctule, Nyctalus noctula
 * Genus: Pipistrellus
 * Kuhl's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus kuhlii
 * Common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus
 * Genus: Plecotus
 * Grey long-eared bat, Plecotus austriacus
 * Subfamily: Miniopterinae
 * Genus: Miniopterus
 * Common bent-wing bat, M. schreibersii
 * Family: Rhinolophidae
 * Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
 * Genus: Rhinolophus
 * Greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum possibly extirpated
 * Lesser horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus hipposideros

Order: Cetacea (whales)
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.


 * Suborder: Mysticeti
 * Family: Balaenopteridae
 * Genus: Balaenoptera
 * Blue whale, Balaenoptera m. musculus (possible)
 * Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus
 * Subfamily: Megapterinae
 * Genus: Megaptera
 * Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae (possible)
 * Family: Balaenidae
 * Genus: Eubalaena
 * North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis (possible)
 * Suborder: Odontoceti
 * Superfamily:Physeteroidea
 * Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales)
 * Genus: Physeter
 * Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus
 * Superfamily: Platanistoidea
 * Family: Delphinidae (oceanic dolphins)
 * Genus: Tursiops
 * Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus
 * Genus: Delphinus
 * Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis
 * Genus: Stenella
 * Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba
 * Genus: Grampus
 * Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus
 * Genus: Pseudorca
 * False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens
 * Genus: Globicephala
 * Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas

Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
 * Suborder: Caniformia
 * Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
 * Genus: Mustela
 * Least weasel, M. nivalis possibly introduced
 * Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
 * Genus: Monachus
 * Mediterranean monk seal, M. monachus extirpated