This is a list of the mammal species recorded in South Africa. There are 299 mammal species in South Africa, of which two are critically endangered, eleven are endangered, fifteen are vulnerable, and thirteen are near threatened. Two of the species listed for South Africa are considered to be extinct.This list is derived from the IUCN Red List which lists species of mammals and includes those mammals that have recently been classified as extinct (since 1500 AD). The taxonomy and naming of the individual species is based on those used in existing Wikipedia articles as of 21 May 2007 and supplemented by the common names and taxonomy from the IUCN, Smithsonian Institution, or University of Michigan where no Wikipedia article was available.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature: EX Extinct No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. EW Extinct in the wild Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range. CR Critically endangered The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild. EN Endangered The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. VU Vulnerable The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. NT Near threatened The species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to do so in the future. LC Least concern There are no current identifiable risks to the species. DD Data deficient There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species.
Some species were assessed using an earlier set of criteria. Species assessed using this system have the following instead of near threatened and least concern categories: LR/cd Lower risk/conservation dependent Species which were the focus of conservation programs and may have moved into a higher risk category if that program was discontinued. LR/nt Lower risk/not threatened Species which are close to being classified as vulnerable but are not the subject of conservation programs. LR/lc Lower risk/least concern Species for which there are no identifiable risks.
Order: Afrosoricida (tenrecs and golden moles) The order Afrosoricida contains the golden moles of southern Africa and the tenrecs of Madagascar and Africa, two families of small mammals that were traditionally part of the order Insectivora.
Family: Chrysochloridae Subfamily: Chrysochlorinae Genus: Chlorotalpa Duthie's golden mole, Chlorotalpa duthieae VU Sclater's golden mole, Chlorotalpa sclateri LC Genus: Chrysochloris Cape golden mole, Chrysochloris asiatica LC Visagie's golden mole, Chrysochloris visagiei DD Genus: Chrysospalax Giant golden mole, Chrysospalax trevelyani EN Rough-haired golden mole, Chrysospalax villosus VU Genus: Cryptochloris De Winton's golden mole, Cryptochloris wintoni CR Van Zyl's golden mole, Cryptochloris zyli EN Genus: Eremitalpa Grant's golden mole, Eremitalpa granti NT Subfamily: Amblysominae Genus: Amblysomus Fynbos golden mole, Amblysomus corriae NT Hottentot golden mole, Amblysomus hottentotus LC Marley's golden mole, Amblysomus marleyi EN Robust golden mole, Amblysomus robustus VU Highveld golden mole, Amblysomus septentrionalis NT Genus: Calcochloris Yellow golden mole, Calcochloris obtusirostris LC Genus: Neamblysomus Gunning's golden mole, Neamblysomus gunningi EN Juliana's golden mole, Neamblysomus julianae EN
Order: Macroscelidea (elephant-shrews) Often called sengis, the elephant shrews or jumping shrews are native to southern Africa. Their common English name derives from their elongated flexible snout and their resemblance to the true shrews.
Family: Macroscelididae (elephant-shrews) Genus: Elephantulus Short-snouted sengi, Elephantulus brachyrhynchus LC Cape sengi, Elephantulus edwardii LC Bushveld sengi, Elephantulus intufi LC Eastern rock sengi, Elephantulus myurus LC Western rock sengi, Elephantulus rupestris LC Genus: Macroscelides Short-eared elephant shrew, Macroscelides proboscideus LC Genus: Petrodromus Four-toed sengi, Petrodromus tetradactylus LC
Order: Tubulidentata (aardvarks)
The order Tubulidentata consists of a single species, the aardvark. Tubulidentata are characterised by their teeth which lack a pulp cavity and form thin tubes which are continuously worn down and replaced.
Family: Orycteropodidae Genus: Orycteropus Aardvark, Orycteropus afer LC
Order: Hyracoidea (hyraxes) The hyraxes are any of four species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. About the size of a domestic cat they are well-furred, with rounded bodies and a stumpy tail. They are native to Africa and the Middle East.
Family: Procaviidae (hyraxes) Genus: Dendrohyrax Southern tree hyrax, Dendrohyrax arboreus LC Genus: Heterohyrax Yellow-spotted rock hyrax, Heterohyrax brucei LC Genus: Procavia Cape hyrax, Procavia capensis LC
Order: Proboscidea (elephants)
The elephants comprise three living species and are the largest living land animals. Family: Elephantidae (elephants) Genus: Loxodonta African bush elephant, Loxodonta africana EN
Order: Primates
The order Primates contains humans and their closest relatives: lemurs, lorisoids, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes.
Suborder: Strepsirrhini Infraorder: Lemuriformes Superfamily: Lorisoidea Family: Galagidae Genus: Galago Mohol galago, Galago moholi LR/lc Genus: Otolemur Brown greater galago, Otolemur crassicaudatus LR/lc Suborder: Haplorhini Infraorder: Simiiformes Parvorder: Catarrhini Superfamily: Cercopithecoidea Family: Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys) Genus: Cercopithecus Sykes' monkey, Cercopithecus albogularis LR/lc Genus: Chlorocebus Vervet monkey, Chlorocebus pygerythrus LR/lc Genus: Papio Chacma baboon, Papio ursinus LR/lc
Order: Rodentia (rodents)
Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to .
Suborder: Hystricognathi Family: Bathyergidae Genus: Bathyergus Namaqua dune mole-rat, Bathyergus janetta LC Cape dune mole-rat, Bathyergus suillus LC Genus: Cryptomys Damaraland mole-rat, Cryptomys damarensis LC Common mole-rat, Cryptomys hottentotus LC Genus: Georychus Cape mole-rat, Georychus capensis LC Family: Hystricidae (Old World porcupines) Genus: Hystrix Cape porcupine, Hystrix africaeaustralis LC Family: Petromuridae Genus: Petromus Dassie rat, Petromus typicus LC Family: Thryonomyidae (cane rats) Genus: Thryonomys Greater cane rat, Thryonomys swinderianus LC Suborder: Sciurognathi Family: Pedetidae (spring hares) Genus: Pedetes Springhare, Pedetes capensis LC Family: Sciuridae (squirrels) Subfamily: Xerinae Tribe: Xerini Genus: Xerus South African ground squirrel, Xerus inauris LC Mountain ground squirrel, Xerus princeps LC Tribe: Protoxerini Genus: Paraxerus Smith's bush squirrel, Paraxerus cepapi LC Red bush squirrel, Paraxerus palliatus LC Family: Gliridae (dormice) Subfamily: Graphiurinae Genus: Graphiurus Small-eared dormouse, Graphiurus microtis LC Woodland dormouse, Graphiurus murinus LC Spectacled dormouse, Graphiurus ocularis LC Rock dormouse, Graphiurus platyops LC Stone dormouse, Graphiurus rupicola LC Family: Nesomyidae Subfamily: Petromyscinae Genus: Petromyscus Barbour's rock mouse, Petromyscus barbouri LC Pygmy rock mouse, Petromyscus collinus LC Brukkaros pygmy rock mouse, Petromyscus monticularis LC Subfamily: Dendromurinae Genus: Dendromus Gray climbing mouse, Dendromus melanotis LC Brants's climbing mouse, Dendromus mesomelas LC Chestnut climbing mouse, Dendromus mystacalis LC Nyika climbing mouse, Dendromus nyikae LC Genus: Malacothrix Gerbil mouse, Malacothrix typica LC Genus: Steatomys Kreb's fat mouse, Steatomys krebsii LC Fat mouse, Steatomys pratensis LC Subfamily: Mystromyinae Genus: Mystromys White-tailed rat, Mystromys albicaudatus EN Subfamily: Cricetomyinae Genus: Cricetomys Gambian pouched rat, Cricetomys gambianus LC Genus: Saccostomus South African pouched mouse, Saccostomus campestris LC Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.) Subfamily: Deomyinae Genus: Acomys Spiny mouse, Acomys spinosissimus LC Cape spiny mouse, Acomys subspinosus LC Subfamily: Otomyinae Genus: Otomys Angoni vlei rat, Otomys angoniensis LC Vlei rat, Otomys irroratus LC Laminate vlei rat, Otomys laminatus LC Saunder's vlei rat, Otomys saundersiae LC Sloggett's vlei rat, Otomys sloggetti LC Bush vlei rat, Otomys unisulcatus LC Genus: Parotomys Brants's whistling rat, Parotomys brantsii LC Littledale's whistling rat, Parotomys littledalei LC Subfamily: Gerbillinae Genus: Desmodillus Cape short-eared gerbil, Desmodillus auricularis LC Genus: Gerbillurus Hairy-footed gerbil, Gerbillurus paeba LC Bushy-tailed hairy-footed gerbil, Gerbillurus vallinus LC Genus: Tatera Cape gerbil, Tatera afra LC Highveld gerbil, Tatera brantsii LC Bushveld gerbil, Tatera leucogaster LC Subfamily: Murinae Genus: Aethomys Red rock rat, Aethomys chrysophilus LC Grant's rock rat, Aethomys granti LC Tete veld aethomys, Aethomys ineptus LC Namaqua rock rat, Aethomys namaquensis LC Genus: Dasymys African marsh rat, Dasymys incomtus LC Genus: Grammomys Mozambique thicket rat, Grammomys cometes LC Woodland thicket rat, Grammomys dolichurus LC Genus: Lemniscomys Single-striped grass mouse, Lemniscomys rosalia LC Genus: Mastomys Southern multimammate mouse, Mastomys coucha LC Natal multimammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis LC Genus: Mus Desert pygmy mouse, Mus indutus LC African pygmy mouse, Mus minutoides LC Neave's mouse, Mus neavei DD Orange mouse, Mus orangiae LC Genus: Myomyscus Verreaux's mouse, Myomyscus verreauxii LC Genus: Rhabdomys Four-striped grass mouse, Rhabdomys pumilio LC Genus: Thallomys Black-tailed tree rat, Thallomys nigricauda LC Acacia rat, Thallomys paedulcus LC Shortridge's rat, Thallomys shortridgei DD Genus: Zelotomys Woosnam's broad-headed mouse, Zelotomys woosnami LC
Order: Lagomorpha (lagomorphs) The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early 20th century, they have since been considered a separate order. They differ from rodents in a number of physical characteristics, such as having four incisors in the upper jaw rather than two.
Family: Leporidae (rabbits, hares) Genus: Bunolagus Riverine rabbit, Bunolagus monticularis CR Genus: Pronolagus Natal red rock hare, Pronolagus crassicaudatus LR/lc Jameson's red rock hare, Pronolagus randensis LR/lc Smith's red rock hare, Pronolagus rupestris LR/lc Hewitt's red rock hare, Pronolagus saundersiae LR/lc Genus: Lepus Cape hare, Lepus capensis LR/lc African savanna hare, Lepus microtis LR/lc Scrub hare, Lepus saxatilis LR/lc
Order: Eulipotyphla (shrews, moles, hedgehogs and gymnures)
The order Eulipotyphla constitutes four families, two of which are found in South Africa. The Soricidae family are made up of shrews, whilst the Erinaceidae family are composed of the hedgehogs and gymnures. Hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines whilst the shrews are more rat-like in appearance.
Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs) Subfamily: Erinaceinae Genus: Atelerix Southern African hedgehog, Atelerix frontalis LR/lc Family: Soricidae (shrews) Subfamily: Crocidurinae Genus: Crocidura Reddish-gray musk shrew, Crocidura cyanea LC Greater red musk shrew, Crocidura flavescens LC Tiny musk shrew, Crocidura fuscomurina LC Lesser red musk shrew, Crocidura hirta LC Maquassie musk shrew, Crocidura maquassiensis LC Swamp musk shrew, Crocidura mariquensis LC Lesser gray-brown musk shrew, Crocidura silacea LC Genus: Suncus