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Mammals of Kentucky

The mammals most often spotted in Kentucky, ranked by recent research-grade observations.

25,082
recent observations
50
species listed
50
mammals

Naturalists have logged 25,082 research-grade observations across the 50 most-recorded species in Kentucky. The most frequently seen is the White-tailed Deer, with 6,148 recorded sightings.

Rarer finds confirmed in Kentucky include Bobcat, Indiana Bat and Gray Myotis - uncommon enough that a sighting is worth logging.

BobcatIndiana BatGray Myotis

Most-observed mammals in Kentucky

White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
6,148 observations
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
4,941 observations
Eastern Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus
1,972 observations
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor
1,650 observations
Groundhog
Marmota monax
1,209 observations
Eastern Chipmunk
Tamias striatus
1,030 observations
Virginia Opossum
Didelphis virginiana
931 observations
American Beaver
Castor canadensis
668 observations
Coyote
Canis latrans
636 observations
Eastern Fox Squirrel
Sciurus niger
569 observations
Mexican Long-nosed Armadillo
Dasypus mexicanus
498 observations
Striped Skunk
Mephitis mephitis
486 observations
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
432 observations
Domestic Cat
Felis catus
383 observations
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
358 observations
Tri-coloured Bat
Perimyotis subflavus
313 observations
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
300 observations
North American River Otter
Lontra canadensis
267 observations
Northern Short-tailed Shrew
Blarina brevicauda
251 observations
Muskrat
Ondatra zibethicus
227 observations
Eastern Mole
Scalopus aquaticus
219 observations
Big Brown Bat
Eptesicus fuscus
206 observations
Wapiti
Cervus canadensis
205 observations
Eastern Red Bat
Lasiurus borealis
179 observations
American Mink
Neogale vison
173 observations
Southern Flying Squirrel
Glaucomys volans
134 observations
European Fallow Deer
Dama dama
68 observations
Woodland Vole
Microtus pinetorum
65 observations
Silver-haired Bat
Lasionycteris noctivagans
57 observations
Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat
Corynorhinus rafinesquii
53 observations
Gray Fox
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
47 observations
House Mouse
Mus musculus
46 observations
Hairy-tailed Mole
Parascalops breweri
39 observations
Eastern Meadow Vole
Microtus pennsylvanicus
38 observations
Domestic Dog
Canis familiaris
36 observations · iNaturalist
Long-tailed Weasel
Neogale frenata
29 observations · iNaturalist
White-footed Mouse
Peromyscus leucopus
25 observations
North American Least Shrew
Cryptotis parvus
22 observations · iNaturalist
Wild Boar
Sus scrofa
20 observations · iNaturalist
European Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus
18 observations
Allegheny Woodrat
Neotoma magister
18 observations · iNaturalist
Eastern Small-footed Myotis
Myotis leibii
17 observations
Brown Rat
Rattus norvegicus
16 observations
Swamp Rabbit
Sylvilagus aquaticus
14 observations
Southern Short-tailed Shrew
Blarina carolinensis
14 observations
Little Brown Bat
Myotis lucifugus
13 observations
Evening Bat
Nycticeius humeralis
11 observations
Townsend's Big-eared Bat
Corynorhinus townsendii
11 observations
Indiana Bat
Myotis sodalis
10 observations
Gray Bat
Myotis grisescens
10 observations

Built from recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. Identifications are community-sourced and may occasionally be wrong, and the ranking reflects where people record and photograph wildlife, so a species seen often here is not necessarily rare elsewhere. Some plants and animals are only out in certain seasons. Treat this as a lively snapshot of what people are finding, not a formal checklist.

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