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Mammals of North Carolina

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

112,198
recent observations
50
species listed
50
mammals

Naturalists have logged 112,198 research-grade observations across the 50 most-recorded species in North Carolina. The most frequently seen is the Eastern Gray Squirrel, with 29,498 recorded sightings.

Rarer finds confirmed in North Carolina include Bobcat and Red Wolf - uncommon enough that a sighting is worth logging.

BobcatRed Wolf

Most-observed mammals in North Carolina

Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
29,498 observations
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
23,005 observations
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
7,950 observations
Eastern Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus
7,916 observations
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor
6,255 observations
Virginia Opossum
Didelphis virginiana
3,999 observations
Eastern Chipmunk
Tamias striatus
3,980 observations
Groundhog
Marmota monax
3,843 observations
Wapiti
Cervus canadensis
3,218 observations
American Beaver
Castor canadensis
2,412 observations
Coyote
Canis latrans
2,208 observations
Domestic Cat
Felis catus
1,378 observations
North American River Otter
Lontra canadensis
1,315 observations
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
1,146 observations
Gray Fox
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
1,124 observations
American Red Squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
1,121 observations
Eastern Fox Squirrel
Sciurus niger
1,048 observations
Striped Skunk
Mephitis mephitis
894 observations
Mexican Long-nosed Armadillo
Dasypus mexicanus
843 observations
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
748 observations
Domestic Horse
Equus caballus
629 observations
Muskrat
Ondatra zibethicus
626 observations
Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops erebennus
584 observations
Coypu
Myocastor coypus
561 observations
Hispid Cotton Rat
Sigmodon hispidus
530 observations
Eastern Mole
Scalopus aquaticus
530 observations
Marsh Rabbit
Sylvilagus palustris
525 observations
Southern Short-tailed Shrew
Blarina carolinensis
452 observations
Southern Flying Squirrel
Glaucomys volans
432 observations
Wild Boar
Sus scrofa
416 observations · iNaturalist
Eastern Red Bat
Lasiurus borealis
371 observations
Northern Short-tailed Shrew
Blarina brevicauda
348 observations
Big Brown Bat
Eptesicus fuscus
346 observations
American Mink
Neogale vison
273 observations
White-footed Mouse
Peromyscus leucopus
245 observations
Tri-coloured Bat
Perimyotis subflavus
240 observations
Red Wolf
Canis rufus
126 observations
House Mouse
Mus musculus
118 observations
Brown Rat
Rattus norvegicus
117 observations
Woodland Vole
Microtus pinetorum
116 observations
Mexican Free-tailed Bat
Tadarida brasiliensis
111 observations
Domestic Dog
Canis familiaris
88 observations
Silver-haired Bat
Lasionycteris noctivagans
87 observations
Appalachian Cottontail
Sylvilagus obscurus
80 observations
Hairy-tailed Mole
Parascalops breweri
80 observations
Alleghanian Spotted Skunk
Spilogale putorius
62 observations
North American Least Shrew
Cryptotis parvus
60 observations · iNaturalist
Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat
Corynorhinus rafinesquii
49 observations
Long-tailed Weasel
Neogale frenata
48 observations · iNaturalist
European Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus
47 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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