Mammals of North Carolina
The mammals most often spotted in North Carolina, ranked by recent research-grade observations.
104,821
recent observations
50
species listed
50
mammals
Naturalists have logged 104,821 research-grade observations across the 50 most-recorded species in North Carolina. The most frequently seen is the Eastern Gray Squirrel, with 27,530 recorded sightings.
Rarer finds confirmed in North Carolina include Bobcat and Red Wolf - uncommon enough that a sighting is worth logging.
Most-observed mammals in North Carolina
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
27,530 observations
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
21,286 observations
Eastern Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus
7,659 observations
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
7,425 observations
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor
5,783 observations
Virginia Opossum
Didelphis virginiana
3,795 observations
Groundhog
Marmota monax
3,570 observations
Eastern Chipmunk
Tamias striatus
3,562 observations
Wapiti
Cervus canadensis
2,990 observations
American Beaver
Castor canadensis
2,311 observations
Coyote
Canis latrans
2,066 observations
Domestic Cat
Felis catus
1,272 observations
North American River Otter
Lontra canadensis
1,237 observations
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
1,066 observations
American Red Squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
1,045 observations
Gray Fox
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
1,034 observations
Eastern Fox Squirrel
Sciurus niger
975 observations
Striped Skunk
Mephitis mephitis
809 observations
Mexican Long-nosed Armadillo
Dasypus mexicanus
796 observations · iNaturalist
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
707 observations
Muskrat
Ondatra zibethicus
612 observations
Coypu
Myocastor coypus
545 observations
Domestic Horse
Equus caballus
541 observations · iNaturalist
Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops erebennus
530 observations · iNaturalist
Hispid Cotton Rat
Sigmodon hispidus
518 observations
Marsh Rabbit
Sylvilagus palustris
512 observations
Eastern Mole
Scalopus aquaticus
502 observations
Southern Short-tailed Shrew
Blarina carolinensis
442 observations
Southern Flying Squirrel
Glaucomys volans
417 observations
Eastern Red Bat
Lasiurus borealis
357 observations
Wild Boar
Sus scrofa
340 observations · iNaturalist
Big Brown Bat
Eptesicus fuscus
339 observations
Northern Short-tailed Shrew
Blarina brevicauda
336 observations
White-footed Mouse
Peromyscus leucopus
272 observations
American Mink
Neogale vison
265 observations
Tri-coloured Bat
Perimyotis subflavus
236 observations
Red Wolf
Canis rufus
118 observations
House Mouse
Mus musculus
116 observations
Woodland Vole
Microtus pinetorum
115 observations
Brown Rat
Rattus norvegicus
110 observations
Mexican Free-tailed Bat
Tadarida brasiliensis
106 observations
Silver-haired Bat
Lasionycteris noctivagans
84 observations
Domestic Dog
Canis familiaris
83 observations · iNaturalist
Appalachian Cottontail
Sylvilagus obscurus
75 observations · iNaturalist
Hairy-tailed Mole
Parascalops breweri
71 observations
Alleghanian Spotted Skunk
Spilogale putorius
62 observations
North American Least Shrew
Cryptotis parvus
59 observations · iNaturalist
Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat
Corynorhinus rafinesquii
49 observations
Long-tailed Weasel
Neogale frenata
49 observations · iNaturalist
European Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus
42 observations · iNaturalist
Mammals in nearby places
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