List of mammals of Taiwan

This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Taiwan. There are 122 mammal species in Taiwan, of which five are endangered, eight are vulnerable and two are near threatened.

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

Order: Primates
The order Primates contains humans and their closest relatives: lemurs, lorisoids, monkeys, and apes.


 * Suborder: Haplorhini
 * Infraorder: Simiiformes
 * Parvorder: Catarrhini
 * Superfamily: Cercopithecoidea
 * Family: Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys)
 * Genus: Macaca
 * Formosan rock macaque, M. cyclopis

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: Sciuridae (squirrels)
 * Subfamily: Sciurinae
 * Tribe: Pteromyini
 * Genus: Belomys
 * Hairy-footed flying squirrel, Belomys pearsonii
 * Genus: Petaurista
 * Red and white giant flying squirrel, Petaurista alborufus
 * Indian giant flying squirrel, Petaurista philippensis
 * Subfamily: Callosciurinae
 * Genus: Callosciurus
 * Pallas's squirrel, Callosciurus erythraeus
 * Genus: Dremomys
 * Perny's long-nosed squirrel, Dremomys pernyi
 * Genus: Tamiops
 * Maritime striped squirrel, Tamiops maritimus
 * Family: Cricetidae
 * Subfamily: Arvicolinae
 * Genus: Eothenomys
 * Père David's vole, Eothenomys melanogaster
 * Genus: Volemys
 * Taiwan vole, Volemys kikuchii VU
 * Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
 * Subfamily: Murinae
 * Genus: Apodemus
 * Striped field mouse, Apodemus agrarius
 * Taiwan field mouse, Apodemus semotus
 * Genus: Bandicota
 * Greater bandicoot rat, Bandicota indica
 * Genus: Micromys
 * Harvest mouse, Micromys minutus
 * Genus: Mus
 * Ryukyu mouse, Mus caroli
 * Genus: Niviventer
 * Coxing's white-bellied rat, Niviventer coxingi
 * Oldfield white-bellied rat, Niviventer culturatus
 * Genus: Rattus
 * Lesser ricefield rat, Rattus losea
 * Tanezumi rat, Rattus tanezumi
 * Brown rat, Rattus norvegicus 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
 * Chinese hare, Lepus sinensis

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


 * Family: Soricidae (shrews)
 * Subfamily: Crocidurinae
 * Genus: Crocidura
 * Asian gray shrew, Crocidura attenuata
 * Taiwanese gray shrew, Crocidura tanakae
 * Gueldenstaedt's shrew, Crocidura gueldenstaedtii
 * Horsfield's shrew, Crocidura horsfieldii
 * Asian lesser white-toothed shrew, Crocidura shantungensis
 * Genus: Suncus
 * Asian house shrew, Suncus murinus
 * Subfamily: Soricinae
 * Tribe: Anourosoricini
 * Genus: Anourosorex
 * Taiwanese mole shrew, Anourosorex yamashinai
 * Tribe: Nectogalini
 * Genus: Chimarrogale
 * Himalayan water shrew, Chimarrogale himalayica
 * Genus: Soriculus
 * Taiwanese brown-toothed shrew, Soriculus fumidus
 * Family: Talpidae (moles)
 * Subfamily: Talpinae
 * Tribe: Talpini
 * Genus: Mogera
 * Insular mole, Mogera insularis
 * Kano's mole, Mogera kanoana NE
 * Senkaku mole, Mogera uchidai

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: Pteropus
 * Ryukyu flying fox, Pteropus dasymallus EN
 * Family: Vespertilionidae
 * Subfamily: Myotinae
 * Genus: Myotis
 * Large-footed bat, Myotis adversus
 * Fringed long-footed myotis, Myotis fimbriatus
 * Hodgson's bat, Myotis formosus
 * Fraternal myotis, Myotis frater
 * Long-toed myotis, Myotis secundus
 * Reddish myotis, Myotis soror DD
 * Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
 * Genus: Eptesicus
 * Serotine bat, Eptesicus serotinus
 * Oriental serotine, Eptesicus pachyomus
 * Genus: Nyctalus
 * Common noctule, Nyctalus noctula
 * Genus: Plecotus
 * Taiwan big-eared bat, Plecotus taivanus
 * Genus: Scotophilus
 * Lesser Asiatic yellow bat, Scotophilus kuhlii
 * Genus: Thainycteris
 * Necklace pipistrelle, Thainycteris torquatus DD
 * Genus: Vespertilio
 * Asian parti-colored bat, Vespertilio superans
 * Subfamily: Murininae
 * Genus: Harpiocephalus
 * Hairy-winged bat, Harpiocephalus harpia
 * Genus: Murina
 * Bicolored tube-nosed bat, Murina bicolor
 * Slender tube-nosed bat, Murina gracilis
 * Taiwan tube-nosed bat, Murina puta
 * Faint-colored tube-nosed bat, Murina recondita
 * Subfamily: Miniopterinae
 * Genus: Miniopterus
 * Schreibers' long-fingered bat, Miniopterus schreibersii
 * Family: Molossidae
 * Genus: Tadarida
 * European free-tailed bat, Tadarida teniotis
 * Family: Rhinolophidae
 * Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
 * Genus: Rhinolophus
 * Formosan lesser horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus monoceros
 * Subfamily: Hipposiderinae
 * Genus: Coelops
 * East Asian tailless leaf-nosed bat, Coelops frithii
 * Genus: Hipposideros
 * Great roundleaf bat, Hipposideros armiger

Order: Pholidota (pangolins)
The order Pholidota comprises the eight species of pangolin. Pangolins are anteaters and have the powerful claws, elongated snout and long tongue seen in the other unrelated anteater species.


 * Family: Manidae
 * Genus: Manis
 * Chinese pangolin, M. pentadactyla

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: Balaenidae
 * Genus: Eubalaena
 * North Pacific right whale, Eubalaena japonica CR
 * Family: Balaenopteridae
 * Subfamily: Megapterinae
 * Genus: Megaptera
 * Northern humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae VU
 * Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
 * Genus: Balaenoptera
 * Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata (Coastal Asia) EN
 * Northern sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis (Coastal Asia) CR
 * Eden's whale, Balaenoptera edeni (East China Sea) LC
 * Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
 * Northern blue whale, B. m. musculus (Coastal Asia) CR
 * Omura's whale, Balaenoptera omurai DD
 * Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus
 * Northern fin whale, B. p. physalus (Coastal Asia) CR
 * Suborder: Odontoceti
 * Superfamily: Platanistoidea
 * Family: Phocoenidae
 * Genus: Neophocaena (finless porpoise)
 * Finless porpoise, Neophocaena phocaenoides VU
 * Family: Ziphidae
 * Genus: Ziphius
 * Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris DD
 * Subfamily: Hyperoodontinae
 * Genus: Indopacetus
 * Tropical bottlenose whale, Indopacetus pacificus DD
 * Genus: Mesoplodon
 * Blainville's beaked whale, Mesoplodon densirostris DD
 * Ginkgo-toothed beaked whale, Mesoplodon ginkgodens DD
 * Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
 * Genus: Sousa
 * Chinese white dolphin, Sousa chinensis DD
 * Genus: Tursiops
 * Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops aduncus DD
 * Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus DD
 * Genus: Stenella
 * Pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata
 * Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba
 * Spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris
 * Genus: Delphinus
 * Long-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus capensis DD
 * Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis
 * Genus: Lagenodelphis
 * Fraser's dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei DD
 * Genus: Lagenorhynchus
 * Pacific white-sided dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens
 * Genus: Grampus
 * Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus DD
 * Genus: Feresa
 * Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuata DD
 * Genus: Peponocephala
 * Melon-headed whale, Peponocephala electra
 * Genus: Pseudorca
 * False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens
 * Genus: Globicephala
 * Short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus
 * Genus: Orcinus
 * Orca, Orcinus orca

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: Prionailurus
 * Leopard cat, P. bengalensis
 * Family: Viverridae (civets, genets etc.)
 * Subfamily: Paradoxurinae
 * Genus: Paguma
 * Masked palm civet, P. larvata
 * Subfamily: Viverrinae
 * Genus: Viverricula
 * Small Indian civet, V. indica
 * Family: Herpestidae (mongooses)
 * Genus: Urva
 * Crab-eating mongoose, U. urva
 * Suborder: Caniformia
 * Family: Ursidae (bears)
 * Genus: Ursus
 * Asiatic black bear, U. thibetanus
 * Formosan black bear, U. t. formosanus
 * Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
 * Genus: Aonyx
 * Asian small-clawed otter, A. cinereus
 * Genus: Lutra
 * European otter, L. lutra
 * Genus: Martes
 * Yellow-throated marten, M. flavigula
 * Genus: Melogale
 * Formosan ferret-badger, M. subaurantiaca
 * Genus: Mustela
 * Least weasel, M. nivalis
 * Siberian weasel, M. sibirica

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: Suidae (pigs)
 * Subfamily: Suinae
 * Genus: Sus
 * Wild boar, S. scrofa
 * Family: Cervidae (deer)
 * Subfamily: Cervinae
 * Genus: Cervus
 * Sika deer, C. nippon
 * Formosan sika deer, C. n. taiouanus
 * Genus: Rusa
 * Sambar deer, R. unicolor
 * Subfamily: Muntiacinae
 * Genus: Muntiacus
 * Reeves's muntjac, M. reevesi
 * Family: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats)
 * Subfamily: Caprinae
 * Genus: Nemorhaedus
 * Taiwan serow, N. swinhoei

Extirpated
The following species are locally extinct in the country:
 * Dugong, Dugong dugon
 * Water deer, Hydropotes inermis
 * Formosan clouded leopard, Neofelis nebulosa