Mammals of California
The mammals most often spotted in California, ranked by recent research-grade observations.
Naturalists have logged 592,102 research-grade observations across the 50 most-recorded species in California. The most frequently seen is the Mule Deer, with 78,993 recorded sightings.
Rarer finds confirmed in California include Bobcat and Island Fox - uncommon enough that a sighting is worth logging.
Most-observed mammals in California
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.
Mammals in nearby places
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