Mammals of North Carolina
The mammals most often spotted in North Carolina, ranked by recent research-grade observations.
Most-observed mammals in North Carolina
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
27,134 observations
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
20,445 observations
Eastern Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus
7,372 observations
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
6,990 observations
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor
5,633 observations
Virginia Opossum
Didelphis virginiana
3,715 observations
Eastern Chipmunk
Tamias striatus
3,469 observations
Groundhog
Marmota monax
3,428 observations
Elk
Cervus canadensis
2,875 observations
American Beaver
Castor canadensis
2,274 observations
Coyote
Canis latrans
2,013 observations
Domestic Cat
Felis catus
1,237 observations
North American River Otter
Lontra canadensis
1,205 observations
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
1,029 observations
Gray Fox
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
991 observations
American Red Squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
979 observations
Eastern Fox Squirrel
Sciurus niger
955 observations
Striped Skunk
Mephitis mephitis
764 observations
Mexican Long-nosed Armadillo
Dasypus mexicanus
758 observations · iNaturalist
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
683 observations
Muskrat
Ondatra zibethicus
602 observations
Coypu
Myocastor coypus
538 observations
Domestic Horse
Equus caballus
514 observations · iNaturalist
Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops erebennus
510 observations · iNaturalist
Hispid Cotton Rat
Sigmodon hispidus
504 observations
Eastern Mole
Scalopus aquaticus
496 observations
Marsh Rabbit
Sylvilagus palustris
493 observations
Southern Short-tailed Shrew
Blarina carolinensis
437 observations
Southern Flying Squirrel
Glaucomys volans
410 observations
Eastern Red Bat
Lasiurus borealis
347 observations
Wild Boar
Sus scrofa
337 observations · iNaturalist
Northern Short-tailed Shrew
Blarina brevicauda
333 observations
Big Brown Bat
Eptesicus fuscus
330 observations
White-footed Mouse
Peromyscus leucopus
263 observations
American Mink
Neogale vison
255 observations
Tri-coloured Bat
Perimyotis subflavus
230 observations
House Mouse
Mus musculus
116 observations
Red Wolf
Canis rufus
113 observations
Brown Rat
Rattus norvegicus
108 observations
Mexican Free-tailed Bat
Tadarida brasiliensis
104 observations
Woodland Vole
Microtus pinetorum
88 observations
Silver-haired Bat
Lasionycteris noctivagans
84 observations
Domestic Dog
Canis familiaris
81 observations · iNaturalist
Appalachian Cottontail
Sylvilagus obscurus
71 observations · iNaturalist
Hairy-tailed Mole
Parascalops breweri
70 observations
Alleghanian Spotted Skunk
Spilogale putorius
62 observations
North American Least Shrew
Cryptotis parvus
58 observations · iNaturalist
Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat
Corynorhinus rafinesquii
47 observations
Long-tailed Weasel
Neogale frenata
46 observations · iNaturalist
European Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus
40 observations · iNaturalist