Mammals of North Carolina
The mammals most often spotted in North Carolina, ranked by recent research-grade observations.
106,110
recent observations
50
species listed
50
mammals
Naturalists have logged 106,110 research-grade observations across the 50 most-recorded species in North Carolina. The most frequently seen is the Eastern Gray Squirrel, with 27,791 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
27,791 observations
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
21,580 observations
Eastern Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus
7,757 observations
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
7,531 observations
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor
5,833 observations
Virginia Opossum
Didelphis virginiana
3,818 observations
Groundhog
Marmota monax
3,629 observations
Eastern Chipmunk
Tamias striatus
3,620 observations
Wapiti
Cervus canadensis
3,028 observations
American Beaver
Castor canadensis
2,362 observations
Coyote
Canis latrans
2,081 observations
Domestic Cat
Felis catus
1,300 observations
North American River Otter
Lontra canadensis
1,246 observations
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
1,075 observations
American Red Squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
1,066 observations
Gray Fox
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
1,051 observations
Eastern Fox Squirrel
Sciurus niger
986 observations
Striped Skunk
Mephitis mephitis
818 observations
Mexican Long-nosed Armadillo
Dasypus mexicanus
808 observations
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
712 observations
Muskrat
Ondatra zibethicus
614 observations
Domestic Horse
Equus caballus
562 observations · iNaturalist
Coypu
Myocastor coypus
551 observations
Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops erebennus
541 observations
Eastern Mole
Scalopus aquaticus
520 observations
Hispid Cotton Rat
Sigmodon hispidus
519 observations
Marsh Rabbit
Sylvilagus palustris
517 observations
Southern Short-tailed Shrew
Blarina carolinensis
444 observations
Southern Flying Squirrel
Glaucomys volans
418 observations
Eastern Red Bat
Lasiurus borealis
364 observations
Wild Boar
Sus scrofa
344 observations · iNaturalist
Big Brown Bat
Eptesicus fuscus
341 observations
Northern Short-tailed Shrew
Blarina brevicauda
341 observations
White-footed Mouse
Peromyscus leucopus
283 observations
American Mink
Neogale vison
268 observations
Tri-coloured Bat
Perimyotis subflavus
238 observations
Red Wolf
Canis rufus
120 observations
House Mouse
Mus musculus
118 observations
Woodland Vole
Microtus pinetorum
115 observations
Brown Rat
Rattus norvegicus
111 observations
Mexican Free-tailed Bat
Tadarida brasiliensis
105 observations
Silver-haired Bat
Lasionycteris noctivagans
84 observations
Domestic Dog
Canis familiaris
84 observations · iNaturalist
Hairy-tailed Mole
Parascalops breweri
79 observations
Appalachian Cottontail
Sylvilagus obscurus
76 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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