Martha's Vineyard Atlas of LifeSpecies ListsMammalsChecklist of Mammals

Checklist of Mammals

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Mammals

Common NamesScientific NamesResident R, Former Resident FR, Introduced I, Oceanic Species OStatus
Order Insectivora
Masked ShrewSorex cinereusRuncommon
Martha's Vineyard Short-tailed ShrewBlarina brevcauda alogaERcommon
Eastern MoleScalopus aquaticusRcommon
Hairy-tailed MoleParascalops breweriFRthe type specimen was described in 1842 from the island; unrecorded since
Order Chiroptera
Little Brown MyotisMyotis lucifugusseasonal Rrare since white-nose syndrome, but persisting in at least one colony in a West Tisbury barn 2015 - 2019, an Endangered species in MA
Northern Long-eared BatMyotis septentrionalisyear-round Rrare since white-nose syndrome, but persisting in small populations. per acoustic surveys and captures by BiodiversityWorks 2014 - 2019, an Endangered species in MA
Silver-haired BatLasionycteris noctivagansseasonal Runcommon. Very few records. A few acoustic detections by BiodiversityWorks 2015 - 2017
Eastern PipistrellePipstrellus subflavusseasonal Runcommon. No capture records or acoustic records during BiodiversityWorks surveys 2014 - 2019
Big Brown BatEpetesicus fuscusseasonal Rcommon across the island, per acoustic surveys and captures by BiodiversityWorks
Red BatLaisurus borealisseasonal Rcommon across the island, per acoustic surveys and captures by BiodiversityWorks
Hoary BatLasiurus cinereusspring and fall migrantrare
Order Lagomorpha
Eastern CottontailSylvilagus floridanusR Icommon
New England CottontailSylvilagus transitionalisFRSome suspect there are a few remaining, but no records.
Snowshoe HareLepus americanusFR I
Black-tailed JackrabbitLepus californicusFR I
European HareLepus europaeusFR I
Order Rodentia
Eastern ChipmunkTamias striatusIlocally common
Eastern Gray SquirrelSciurus carolinensisRcommon
Red SquirrelTamiasciurus hudsonicusFR
BeaverCastor canadensisFR
White-footed MousePeromyscus leucopusERcommon; thought to include two subspecies on the island, based on trapping at Felix Neck and Menemsha Hills. P.l. fusus occur at Felix neck and are larger and more docile than the Menemsha Hills population (S. Telford, Tufts University, pers. comm. July 2019).
Meadow VoleMicrotus pennsylvanicusRcommon
Pine VoleMicrotus pinetorumRlocal and rare if still present
MuskratOndatra zibethicaRcommon; the only land mammal now known on Noman's Island
Norway RatRattus norvegicusIcommon
Meadow Jumping MouseZapus hudsoniusRcommon
Order Cetacea
Cuvier's Beaked WhaleZiphius cavirostrisOuncommon?
Sperm WhalePhyseter catodonOrare; an Endangered species in Massachusetts and by Federal designation
Pygmy Sperm WhaleKogia brevicepsOrare
Beluga WhaleDelphinapterus leucasOvery rare; one found dead in 1983
Striped DolphinStenella caerueoalbaOrare
Common DolphinDelphinus delphisOuncommon
Bottle-nosed DolphinTursiops truncatesOuncommon
Atlantic White-sided DolphinLagenorhynchus acutusOcommon?
Killer WhaleOrcinus orcaOrare
Gray GrampusGrampus griseusOuncommon
Common Pilot WhaleGlobicephala melaenaOcommon
Harbor PorpoisePhocoena phocoenaOcommon
Fin WhaleBalaenoptera physalusOcommon; an Endangered species in Massachusetts and by Federal designation
Minke WhaleBalaenoptera acutorostrataOuncommon
Sei WhaleBalaenoptera borealisOfound washed up dead on shore
Humpback WhaleMegaptera novaeangliaeOcommon; an Endangered species in Massachusetts and by Federal designation
Northern Right WhaleEubalaena glacialisOrare; an Endangered species in Massachusetts and by Federal designation
Order Carnivora
CoyoteCanis latransPotential natural colonization1 adult observed in June 2010 and another in May 2019. Wash ashore during winter dead- north shore
Red FoxVulpes vulpesFR
Gray FoxUrocyon cinereoargentatusFR
Indian DogCanis familiarisFR
Black BearUrsus americanusFR
North American RaccoonProcyon lotorRcommon
FisherPekania pennantifound washed up dead on shore
MinkMustela visonFR
Striped SkunkMephitis mephitisRcommon
River OtterLontra canadensisRcommon
BobcatLynx rufusFR
[Feral] CatFelis catusRregrettably common
Order Pinnpedia
Harbor SealPhoca concolorOcommon
Harp SealPagophilus groenlandicusOrare
Gray SealHalichoerus groenlandicusOcommon
Hooded SealCystophora cristataOrare
WalrusOdobenus rosmarusFR
Order Artiodactyla
White-tailed DeerOdocoilius virginianusRabundant
Fallow DeerCervus damaI FR