List of mammals of Switzerland

This list shows the IUCN Red List status of the mammal species occurring in Switzerland. Nine of them are near threatened, and most are least concern. The following tags are used to highlight each species' status as assessed on the respective 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.
 * Suborder: Castorimorpha
 * Family: Castoridae
 * Subfamily: Castorinae
 * Tribe: Castorini
 * Genus: Castor
 * Eurasian beaver, C. fiber reintroduced
 * Suborder: Sciurognathi
 * Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
 * Subfamily: Sciurinae
 * Tribe: Sciurini
 * Genus: Sciurus
 * Red squirrel, S. vulgaris
 * Subfamily: Xerinae
 * Tribe: Marmotini
 * Genus: Marmota
 * Alpine marmot, M. marmota
 * Family: Gliridae (dormice)
 * Subfamily: Leithiinae
 * Genus: Dryomys
 * Forest dormouse, D. nitedula
 * Genus: Eliomys
 * Garden dormouse, E. quercinus
 * Genus: Muscardinus
 * Hazel dormouse, M. avellanarius
 * Subfamily: Glirinae
 * Genus: Glis
 * European edible dormouse, G. glis
 * Family: Cricetidae
 * Subfamily: Arvicolinae
 * Genus: Arvicola
 * European water vole, A. amphibius
 * Genus: Chionomys
 * European snow vole, C. nivalis
 * Genus: Clethrionomys
 * Bank vole, C. glareolus
 * Genus: Microtus
 * Field vole, M. agrestis
 * Common vole, M. arvalis
 * Alpine pine vole, M. multiplex
 * European pine vole, M. subterraneus
 * Subfamily: Cricetinae
 * Genus: Cricetus
 * European hamster, C. cricetus extirpated
 * Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters)
 * Subfamily: Murinae
 * Genus: Mus
 * House mouse, M. musculus
 * Genus: Apodemus
 * Alpine field mouse, A. alpicola
 * Yellow-necked mouse, A. flavicollis
 * Wood mouse, A. sylvaticus
 * Genus: Micromys
 * Eurasian harvest mouse, M. minutus

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
 * European hare, L. europaeus
 * Mountain hare, L. timidus
 * Genus: Oryctolagus
 * European rabbit, O. cuniculus introduced

Order: Eulipotyphla (shrews, hedgehogs and moles)
Eulipotyphlans are insectivorous mammals. Shrews and solenodons resemble mice, hedgehogs carry spines, gymnures look more like large rats, while moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
 * Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs)
 * Subfamily: Erinaceinae
 * Genus: Erinaceus
 * West European hedgehog, E. europaeus
 * Family: Soricidae (shrews)
 * Subfamily: Crocidurinae
 * Genus: Crocidura
 * Bicolored shrew, C. leucodon
 * Greater white-toothed shrew, C. russula
 * Lesser white-toothed shrew, C. suaveolens
 * Subfamily: Soricinae
 * Tribe: Nectogalini
 * Genus: Neomys
 * Mediterranean water shrew, N. anomalus
 * Eurasian water shrew, N. fodiens
 * Tribe: Soricini
 * Genus: Sorex
 * Alpine shrew, S. alpinus
 * Common shrew, S. araneus
 * Crowned shrew, S. coronatus
 * Eurasian pygmy shrew, S. minutus
 * Family: Talpidae (moles)
 * Subfamily: Talpinae
 * Tribe: Talpini
 * Genus: Talpa
 * Mediterranean mole, T. caeca
 * European mole, T. europaea

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
 * Greater mouse-eared bat, M. myotis
 * Lesser mouse-eared bat, M. blythii
 * Brandt's bat, M. brandti
 * Cryptic myotis, M. crypticus
 * Daubenton's bat, M. daubentonii
 * Geoffroy's bat, M. emarginatus
 * Natterer's bat, M. nattereri
 * Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
 * Genus: Barbastella
 * Barbastelle, B. barbastellus
 * Genus: Eptesicus
 * Northern bat, E. nilssoni
 * Genus: Nyctalus
 * Greater noctule bat, N. lasiopterus
 * Lesser noctule, N. leisleri
 * Common noctule, N. noctula
 * Genus: Pipistrellus
 * Nathusius' pipistrelle, P. nathusii
 * Genus: Plecotus
 * Brown long-eared bat, P. auritus
 * Grey long-eared bat, P. austriacus
 * Subfamily: Miniopterinae
 * Genus: Miniopterus
 * Common bent-wing bat, M. schreibersii
 * Family: Molossidae
 * Genus: Tadarida
 * European free-tailed bat, T. teniotis
 * 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 reintroduced
 * Family: Viverridae
 * Subfamily: Viverrinae
 * Genus: Genetta
 * Common genet, G. genetta introduced, presence uncertain
 * Suborder: Caniformia
 * Family: Canidae
 * Genus: Canis
 * Gray wolf, C. lupus
 * Italian wolf, C. l. italicus
 * Eurasian wolf, C. l. lupus
 * Genus: Vulpes
 * Red fox, V. vulpes
 * Family: Ursidae (bears)
 * Genus: Ursus
 * Brown bear, U. arctos presence uncertain
 * Eurasian brown bear, U. a. arctos presence uncertain
 * Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
 * Genus: Mustela
 * Stoat, M. erminea
 * European mink, M. lutreola extirpated
 * Least weasel, M. nivalis
 * European polecat, M. putorius
 * Genus: Martes
 * Beech marten, M. foina
 * European pine marten, M. martes
 * Genus: Meles
 * European badger, M. meles
 * Genus: Lutra
 * European otter, L. lutra reintroduced

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: Bovinae
 * Genus: Bison
 * European bison, B. bonasus extirpated
 * Genus: Bos
 * Aurochs, B. primigenius
 * Subfamily: Caprinae
 * Genus: Capra
 * Alpine ibex, C. ibex reintroduced
 * Genus: Rupicapra
 * Chamois, R. rupicapra
 * Family: Cervidae (deer)
 * Subfamily: Cervinae
 * Genus: Cervus
 * Red deer, C. elaphus
 * Genus: Dama
 * European fallow deer, D. dama introduced
 * Subfamily: Capreolinae
 * Genus: Alces
 * Moose, A. alces extirpated
 * Genus: Capreolus
 * Roe deer, C. capreolus }
 * Family: Suidae (pigs)
 * Subfamily: Suinae
 * Genus: Sus
 * Wild boar, S. scrofa