List of mammals of Moldova

This list shows the IUCN Red List status of the 32 mammal species occurring in Moldova. One is endangered, four are vulnerable, and three are near threatened. The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed on the respective IUCN Red List published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:

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: Sciurognathi
 * Family: Castoridae (beavers)
 * Genus: Castor
 * Eurasian beaver, C. fiber
 * Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
 * Subfamily: Xerinae
 * Tribe: Marmotini
 * Genus: Spermophilus
 * European ground squirrel, Spermophilus citellus VU
 * Family: Gliridae (dormice)
 * Subfamily: Leithiinae
 * Genus: Dryomys
 * Forest dormouse, Dryomys nitedula LC
 * Family: Cricetidae
 * Subfamily: Cricetinae
 * Genus: Cricetulus
 * Grey dwarf hamster, Cricetulus migratorius LC
 * Subfamily: Arvicolinae
 * Genus: Clethrionomys
 * Bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus LC
 * Genus: Microtus
 * Common vole, Microtus arvalis LC
 * European pine vole, Microtus subterraneus 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 twentieth 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
 * European hare, L. europaeus

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: Erinaceus
 * Southern white-breasted hedgehog, E. concolor

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
 * Bicolored shrew, C. leucodon
 * Lesser white-toothed shrew, C. suaveolens
 * Subfamily: Soricinae
 * Tribe: Soricini
 * Genus: Sorex
 * Eurasian pygmy shrew, S. minutus

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
 * Bechstein's bat, M. bechsteini
 * Pond bat, M. dasycneme
 * Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
 * Genus: Barbastella
 * Western barbastelle, B. barbastellus
 * Genus: Nyctalus
 * Greater noctule bat, N. lasiopterus
 * Lesser noctule, N. leisleri NT
 * Genus: Pipistrellus
 * Common pipistrelle, P. pipistrellus LC
 * Family: Rhinolophidae
 * Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
 * Genus: Rhinolophus
 * Greater horseshoe bat, R. ferrumequinum
 * Lesser horseshoe bat, R. hipposideros

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: Feliformia
 * Family: Felidae (cats)
 * Subfamily: Felinae
 * Genus: Felis
 * European wildcat, F. silvestris
 * Genus: Lynx
 * Eurasian lynx, L. lynx
 * Suborder: Caniformia
 * Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
 * Genus: Canis
 * Gray wolf, C. lupus
 * Eurasian wolf, C. l. lupus
 * Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
 * Genus: Lutra
 * European otter, L. lutra
 * Genus: Martes
 * Beech marten, M. foina
 * Genus: Meles
 * European badger, M. meles LC
 * Genus: Mustela
 * Stoat, M. erminea
 * Steppe polecat, M. eversmannii
 * Least weasel, M. nivalis
 * European polecat, M. putorius

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: Cervidae (deer)
 * Subfamily: Capreolinae
 * Genus: Alces
 * Moose, A. alces
 * Genus: Capreolus
 * Roe deer, C. capreolus
 * Subfamily: Cervinae
 * Genus: Cervus
 * Red deer, C. elaphus
 * Genus: Dama
 * European fallow deer, D. dama introduced
 * Family: Suidae (pigs)
 * Subfamily: Suinae
 * Genus: Sus
 * Wild boar, S. scrofa

Locally extinct
The following species are locally extinct in the country:
 * European bison, Bison bonasus
 * European mink, Mustela lutreola
 * Brown bear, Ursus arctos