Mammals in Spain / Spanish mammals

• Of the 118 species of mammal, 5 were introduced in the 20th century (American mink, marmot, muffloun, coypu). Several were introduced centuries ago (fallow deer, ginet, Egyptian mongoose, the latter two by the Arabs, probably as pets) and are are now considered as native. There are 85 native terrestrial mammals. See English-Spanish-Latin mammal checklist for Spain
• Recent figures for 2004 suggest a slight recovery in the Cantabrian-Asturian population of bears, up from 75-80 to 120-130 individuals. 13-15 bears hang on in the Pyrenness. In 1900, there were an estimated 2000 bears left in Spain .
• Spain is one of the last remaining refuges of the European wolf. The population is slowly recovering from its 1970 low of 400-500 odd individuals with current (2003) figures estimated at 2,500, almost 30% of European wolf numbers outside the ex-USSR. In early 2004, a wolf was detected in Northern Catalonia for first time in more than a century. It is thought to have made its way through France from the Italian Alps.
• The fox is probably the most common Spanish carnivore, its numbers estimated at 500,000-1,000,000 individuals.
• The otter is present in 42 of the 47 Spanish mainland provinces, and is absent from the islands. Population is thought to have fallen by 60% between 1966 and 1985, though is now slowly recovering in many areas.
• The bucado ( Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica ) a sub-species of the Spanish mountain goat enjoys the doubtful distinction of being the first mammal to be become extinct in Europe in a 100 years, despite being protected since the early 20th century. The last one, a female, was killed by a falling tree.
• There are 27 species of bat. There are 11 species of shrew, 3 of which are endemic
• Around 500 whales, dolphins and porpoises beach on Spanish coasts a year. Fishing practices, gregarian instincts and currents are the main causes. Six whales beached as a result of the prestige disaster.
• In 2000 there were 160 lynxes in breeding age. In 2004 there are 100

Mammals of Spain

Names from ‘Mamiferos de España' (Purroy y Varela) Lynx Editions. For the time bring, only seals are included of the sea mammals. See also Spanish mammals quiz (new)

Algerian hedgehog : erizo moruno : Atelerix algirus

Restricted to the eastern Mediterranean coast where its numbers have been decimated by vehicles. Considered rare. See Algerian Hedgehog in Spain

Algerian mouse : ratón moruno : Mus spretus

Present everywhere except the Cantabrian strip and Pyrenees. Stays away from human habitation. Common in more arid areas. Absent from Canaries.

american mink : visón americano : Mustela vision
See American mink in Spain

badger : tejón : Meles meles

Badgers are found throughout mainland Spain from the green forests of the Cordillera Cantábrica to the semi-desert scrubs of Almeria , but are absent from the Canaries and the Balearics. Although not generally considered a high-montane animal, they have been detected as high as 2300m in La Cerdanya in the Catalan Pyrenees. Though not uncommon, badger populations are not as dense in Spain as they are, for example, in the UK , which has possibly the highest concentrations in the world, and hence such a strong place in British folklore.. This is partly because of the relative scarcity of protein-rich earthworms. Click here to read complete article

bank vole : topillo rojo : Clethrionomys glareolus

Barbary ape : mona de berbería* : Macaca sylvanus *Colloquially known as mono

The only wild primate in Europe (just). Restricted to Gibraltar were it was introduced by the British in 1740 to shoot. Despite its English name it is a monkey and not an ape. With just four individuals left in 1943, Winston Churchill ordered a new batch to be captured in Morocco and released on the Peñon, apparantly as a morale booster: it was said that Gibraltar would be British while there were still macaques there. Clap-trap apart, there is fossil evidence to the ancient presence of Barbary apes in Europe, though romantic theories ...Read complete article

Barbary ground squirrel : ardilla moruna : Atlantoxerus getulus

Barbary sheep : Arrui (Ammotragus lervia)

barbastelle : barbastela (or murciélago de bosque : Barbastella barbastellus

Bechstein's bat : murciélago ratonero forestal : Myotis bechsteini

beech marten : garduña : Martes foina

black rat : rata negra : Rattus rattus

broom hare : liebre de piornal : Lepus castroviejoi

brown bear : oso pardo : Ursus arctos

See news on brown bear in Spain

brown hare : liebre europea : Lepus europaeus

brown long-eared bat : murciélago orejudo dorado : Plecotus auritus

brown rat : rata parda : Rattus norvegicus

bucardo : (capra pyrenaica)

On 6th January 2000, a knarled old tree crashed down on Laña and killed her. She was the last of the bucados or Pyrenean mountain goat or Pyrenean ibex that had for millenium grazed the high Pyrenees between France and Spain. A total and utter disaster in terms of conservation management, despite decades of official protection. Also known as an erc.

Note: If you type bucardo into Google most articles are about cloning extinct species back to life. MORE TO COME

Cabrera's vole : topillo de Cabrera : Microtus cabrerae

Canary shrew : musaraña canaria : Crocidura canariensis

chamois : rebeco (or sarrio) : Rupicapra rupicapra

See Chamois in Spain

coypu : coipú (Mycocastor coypus )

This huge Argentinean rodent has been present in Europe since 1920, where it is considered a pest species because of the damage it does to wetlands. It spread into the Basque Country and Navarra from France where it escaped from fur farms, and is still restricted to small riverine enclaves in this area. Currently an adult coypu's only natural predator in Spain is the domestic dog, though with the recent spread of the wolf this may change.

common dormouse : muscadino común : Muscardinus avellanarius

common mole : topo europeo : Talpa europaea

common pipistrelle : murciélago enano (or de Cabrera) : Pipistrellus mediterraneus

common seal : foca moteada : Phoca vitulina

common shrew : musaraña bicolor (or colicuadrada) : Sorex araneus

common vole : topillo campesino : Microtus arvalis

Daubenton's bat : murciélago ratonero ribereño : Myotis daubentoni

Not threatened. Throughout Peninsula. More common in the north and rare in arid south-east. absent from the Islands

edible dormouse : lirón gris : Glis glis

Egyptian mongoose : meloncillo : Herpestes ichneumon

European free-tailed bat : murciélago rabudo : Tadarida teniotis

European mink : visón europeo : Mustela lutreola

See European and American mink

fallow deer : gamo común; daina (Cat) (Dama dama) were almost certainly introduced by either the Phonecians or the Romans.

field vole : topillo agreste : Microtus agrestis

fox : zorro : Vulpes vulpes

garden dormouse : lirón careto : Eliomys quercinus

genet : gineta : Genetta genetta

Geoffroy's bat : murciélago ratonero pardo : Myotis emarginata

greater horseshoe bat : murciélago grande de herradura : Rhinolophus ferrumequinun

greater mouse-eared bat : murciélago ratonero grande : Myotis myotis

greater noctule : nóctulo grande : Nyctalus lasiopterus

greater white-toothed shrew : musaraña gris : Crocidura russula

grey long-eared bat : murciélago orejudo gris : Plecotus austriacus

grey seal : foca gris : Halichoerus grypus

harvest mouse : ratón espigeuro : Micromys minutus

house mouse : ratón casero : Mus domesticus

Iberian hare : liebre ibérica : Lepus granatensis

Iberian mole : topo ibérico : Talpa occidentalis

Kuhl's pipistrelle : murciélago de borde claro : Pipistrellus kuhli

Leisler's bat : nóctulo pequeño : Nyctalus leisleri

lesser horseshoe bat : murciélago pequeño de herradura : Rhinolophus hipposideros

lesser mouse-eared bat : murciélago ratonero mediano : Myotis blythii

lesser white-toothed shrew : musaraña del campo : Crocidura suaveolens

long-fingered bat : murciélago ratonero patudo : Myotis capaccinii

Lusitanian pine vole : topillo lusitano : Microtus lusitanicus

lynx : lince

lince : lynx :

lince iberico: iberian lynx; Lynx pardina. See full article on Iberian lynx + news on the Iberian lynx

lince boreal: Eurasian lynx: Lynx Lynx. In the past was present in Northern Pyrenees in Spain and France, its southerly limit forming the Iberian lynx's northern frontier. Nearest populations today are Alps some 450 km away.

Madeira pipistrelle : murciélago de Madeira : Pipistrellus maderensis

marmot : marmota : Marmota marmota

Mediterranean horseshoe bat : murciélago mediterráneo de herradura : Rhinolophus euryale

Mediterranean pine vole : topillo mediterráneo : Microtus duodecimcostatus

Mehely's horseshoe bat : murciélago mediano de herradura : Rhinolophus mehelyi

Miller's water shrew : musgaño de Cabrera : Neomys anomalus

Millet's shrew : musaraña tricolor : Sorex coronatus

monk seal : foca monje : Monachus monachus

mouflon : muflón : Ovis ammon

muskrat : rata almizclera : Ondatra zibethica

Nathusiu's pipistrelle : murciélago de Nathusius : Pipistrellus nathusii

Natterer's bat : murciélago ratonero gris : Myotis nattereri

noctule (or great bat) : nóctulo mediano : Nyctalus noctula

Osorio shrew : musaraña del Osorio : Crocidura osorio

otter : nutria : Lutra lutra

pine marten : marta : Martes martes

pipistrelle or common bat : murciélago enano : Pipistrellus pipistrellus

polecat : turón : Mustela putorius

pygmy shrew : musaraña enana : Sorex minitus

pygmy white-toothed shrew : musagaño enano : Suncus etruscus

Pyrenean desman : desmán ibérico : Galemys pyrenacius

Pyrenean pine vole : topillo pirenaico : Microtus gerbei

rabbit : conejo : Oryctolagus cuniculus

red deer : ciervo común : Cervus elaphus

red deer : ciervo rojo : cèrvol (Cat); cervo (Gal); orein (Eus.) ( Cervus elaphus )

Photo from here

See red deer in Spain

red squirrel : ardilla roja : Sciurus vulgaris

ringed seal : foca ocelada : Phoca hispida

roe deer : corzo : Capreolus capreolus

Savi's pipistrelle : murciélago montañero : Hypsugo savii

Schreiber's bat : murciélago de cueva : Miniopterus schreibersi

serotine bat : murciélago hortelano : Eptesicus serotinus

snow vole : neverón : Chionomys nivalis

southern water vole : rata de agua : Arvicola sapidus

Spanish ibex : cabra montés : Capra pyrenaica

Spanish Ibex: source Consejeria de Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Andaulucia

Spanish shrew : musaraña ibérica : Sorex granarius

stoat : armiño : Mustela erminea

Tenerife long-eared bat : murciélago orejudo canario : Plecotus teneriffae

water shrew : musgaño patiblanco : Neomys fodiens

water vole : rata topera : Arvicola terrestris

weasel : comadreja : Mustela nivalis

western hedgehog : erizo europeo : Erinaceus europaeus

See Hedgehogs in Spain

whiskered bat : murciélago ratonero bigotudo : Myotis mystacinus

wild boar : jabalí : Sus scrofa

See Wild boar in Spain