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 Photo: Donna Dewhurst, USFWS
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Mammals are a diverse group of vertebrates (animals with backbones), varying widely in size, behavior, and ecological adaptations for their respective niches. The two most fundamental characteristics of mammals are hair and skin glands, including mammary glands that secrete milk, and the sweat and sebaceous (oil and scent) glands. Mammals (and birds) are endothermic vertebrates whose internal body temperature is maintained "from within" (endo-) by the burning of food within the body. Endothermic mammals are further divided into those that maintain a constants internal body temperature (homeothermic) and those whose internal body temperature can vary (heterothermic) such as bats and ground squirrels that hibernate. Another unique feature of mammals is that they have a secondary palate that separates the nasal cavity from the mouth which allows breathing to occur at the same time as feeding.
Early mammals evolved from reptiles about 200 million years ago. There are only about 4,000 species of mammals in the world, far fewer than birds or reptiles, but because of their great competitive abilities, intelligence, and predatory skills, mammals are regarded as the dominant group of vertebrates.
There are currently 474 species of North American mammals north of Mexico, and 113 mammal species in Idaho. These 113 species are broken down into groups that include opossums, shrews and moles, bats, rabbits, rodents, carnivores, and ungulates. Because of the wide diversity of habitats found in Idaho from the cool, moist forests of the Panhandle to the hot, dry sagebrush of the Snake River Plain and from Hells Canyon to the Tetons, we have a diversity of mammal species in Idaho. However, only one species of mammal is found in Idaho and no where else, the Idaho ground squirrel.
*G - Game species whose harvest is regulated by the Idaho Dept. of Fish & Game through bag limits and seasons.
*L - Species not under control of Idaho Dept. of Fish & Game but instead fall under the purview of the Idaho legislature.
*P - Protected Nongame species for which it is illegal to collect, harm, or otherwise remove from its natural habitat except as provided under Idaho Code or Commission Regulations.
*Exotic - Species that humans intentionally or unintentionally introduced into an area outside of a species' natural range.
Opossum
Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) *Exotic
Moles and Shrews
Masked Shrew (Sorex cinereus)
Vagrant Shrew (Sorex vagrans)
Dusky Shrew (Sorex monticolus)
Dwarf Shrew (Sorex nanus)
Water Shrew (Sorex palustris)
Merriam's Shrew (Sorex merriami)
Pygmy Shrew (Sorex hoyi)
Coast Mole (Scapanus orarius)
Bats
Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus) *P
Yuma Myotis (Myotis yumanensis) *P
Long-eared Myotis (Myotis evotis) *P
Fringed Myotis (Myotis thysanodes) *P
Long-legged Myotis (Myotis volans) *P
California Myotis (Myotis californicus) *P
Western Small-footed Myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum) *P
Silver-haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans) *P
Western Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus hesperus) *P
Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) *P
Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus) *P
Spotted Bat (Euderma maculatum) *P
Townsend's Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) *P
Pallid Bat (Antrozous pallidus) *P
Pikas, Rabbits, and Hares
American Pika (Ochotona princeps) *P
Mountain Cottontail (Sylvilagus nuttallii) *G
Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus) *G
White-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii) *L
Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) *L
Pygmy Rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis) *G
Rodents and Squirrels
Least Chipmunk (Tamias minimus) *P
Yellow-pine Chipmunk (Tamias amoenus) *P
Cliff Chipmunk (Tamias dorsalis) *P
Red-tailed Chipmunk (Tamias ruficaudus) *P
Unita Chipmunk (Tamias umbrinus) *P
Yellow-bellied Marmot (Marmota flaviventris)
Hoary Marmot (Marmota caligata)
White-tailed Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus)
Piute Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus mollis); subspecies artemisiae in Eastern Idaho is protected *P
Merriam's Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus canus) *P
Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus brunneus brunneus) *P
Southern Idaho Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus brunneus endemicus) *P
Uinta Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus armatus)
Belding's Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus beldingi)
Columbian Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus columbianus)
Rock Squirrel (Spermophilus variegatus) *P
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus lateralis) *P
Wyoming Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus elegans); subspecies nevadensis in Southwest Idaho is protected *P
Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) *P
Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) *Exotic
Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) *Exotic
Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) *P
Pocket Gophers
Townsend's Pocket Gopher (Thomomys townsendii)
Northern Pocket Gopher (Thomomys talpoides)
Idaho Pocket Gopher (Thomomys idahoensis)
Pocket Mice and Kangaroo Rats
Little Pocket Mouse (Perognathus longimembris) *P
Great Basin Pocket Mouse (Perognathus parvus)
Dark Kangaroo Mouse (Microdipodops megacephalus) *P
Ord's Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys ordii)
Chisel-toothed Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys microps)
Beaver
American Beaver (Castor canadensis) *G
Mice, Rats, and Voles
Western Harvest Mouse (Reithrodonotomys megalotis)
Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus)
Canyon Mouse (Peromyscus crinitus)
Pinon Mouse (Peromyscus truei)
Northern Grasshopper Mouse (Onychomys leucogaster)
Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida)
Bushy-tailed Woodrat (Neotoma cinerea)
Southern Red-backed Vole (Clethrionomys gapperi)
Heather Vole (Phenacomys intermedius)
Meadow Vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus)
Montane Vole (Microtus montanus)
Long-tailed Vole (Microtus longicaudus)
Water Vole (Microtus richardsoni)
Sagebrush Vole (Lemmiscus curtatus)
Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) *G
Northern Bog Lemming (Synaptomys borealis) *P
Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus) *Exotic
House Mouse (Mus musculus) *Exotic
Western Jumping Mouse (Zapus princeps)
Others
Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)
Carnivores
Coyote (Canis latrans) *L
Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) *P
Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) *G
Kit Fox (Vulpes macrotis) *P
Black Bear (Ursus americanus) *G
Grizzly (Brown) Bear (Ursus arctos) *P
Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor) *G
American Marten (Martes americana) *G
Fisher (Martes pennanti)
Ermine (Mustela erminea) *L
Long-tailed Weasel (Mustela frenata) *L
Mink (Mustela vison) *G
North American Wolverine (Gulo gulo luscus) *P
American Badger (Taxidea taxus) *G
Western Spotted Skunk (Spilogale gracilis) *L
Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) *L
Northern River Otter (Lutra canadensis) *G
Mountain Lion (Felis concolor) *G
Lynx (Lynx canadensis) *P
Bobcat (Lynx rufus) *G
Ungulates
Elk (Cervus elaphus) *G
Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) *G
White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginanus) *G
Moose (Alces alces) *G
Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) *P
Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) *G
Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus) *G
California Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis californiana) *G
Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) *G
Feral Horse (Equus caballus) *P
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