Mammals of Rocky Mountain National Park
There are 67 native species of mammals in Rocky Mountain National Park, a 265,461 acres (107,428 ha) park in Colorado.[1] Species are listed by common name, scientific name, habitat, and abundance.[2] Species which are extirpated, or locally extinct, are marked with an EX.
Pronghorn
Order: Artiodactyla Family: Antilocapridae
- Pronghorn, Antilocapra americana, meadows, grasslands, sagebrush, occasional
Bovids
Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae
- American bison, Bos bison, meadows, grasslands, tundra, extirpated EX
- Aurochs, Bos taurus, meadows, Ex, E
- Mountain goat, Oreamnos americanus, cliffs, rocky areas, occasional (non-native)
- Bighorn sheep, Ovis canadensis, cliffs, rocky areas, tundra, common
Moose, elk, and deer
Order: Artiodactyla Family: Cervidae
- Moose, Alces alces, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, meadows, uncommon
- Elk, Cervus elaphus, montane, and subalpine forests, meadows, tundra, abundant
- Mule deer, Odocoileus hemionus, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, common
- White-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, montane forests, meadows, occasional
Canids
Order: Carnivora Family: Canidae
- Coyote, Canis latrans, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, tundra, common
- Gray wolf, Canis lupus, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, tundra, extirpated EX
- Gray fox, Urocyon cineoargentus, montane forests, meadows, unconfirmed
- Red fox, Vulpes vulpes, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, common
Cats
Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae
- Canada lynx, Lynx canadensis, subalpine forests, rare
- Bobcat, Lynx rufus, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, common
- Cougar, Puma concolor, montane and subalpine forests, uncommon
Skunks
Order: Carnivora Family: Mephitidae
- Striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis, montane forests, meadows, riparian, uncommon
- Western spotted skunk, Spilogale gracilis, montane forests, meadows, riparian, rare
Weasels
Order: Carnivora Family: Mustelidae
- Wolverine, Gulo gulo, subalpine forests, alpine tundra, occasional
- North American river otter, Lontra canadensis, rivers, riparian, uncommon
- American marten, Martes americana, montane and subalpine forests, uncommon
- Ermine, Mustela erminea, montane and subalpine forests, alpine tundra, meadows, uncommon
- Long-tailed weasel, Mustela frenata, montane and subalpine forests, alpine tundra, meadows, common
- American mink, Mustela vison, rivers, lakes, riparian, rare
- American badger, Taxidea taxus, meadows, grasslands, uncommon
Raccoons and Ringtails
Order: Carnivora Family: Procyonidae
- Common raccoon, Procyon lotor, montane forests, riparian, uncommon
- Ring-tailed cat, Bassariscus astutus, montane forests, riparian, rare, if present
Bears
Order: Carnivora Family: Ursidae
- Grizzly bear, Ursus arctos, montane and subalpine forests, alpine tundra, meadows, extirpated EX
- American black bear, Ursus americanus, montane and subalpine forests, common
Bats
Order: Chiroptera Family: Vespertilionidae
- Silver-haired bat, Lasionycteris noctivagans, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, meadows, common
- Hoary bat, Lasiurus cinereus, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, meadows, uncommon
- Western small-footed myotis, Myotis ciliolabrum, montane forests, riparian, meadows rare, if present
- Long-eared myotis, Myotis evotis, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, meadows, uncommon
- Little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, meadows, uncommon
- Big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, meadows, rare, if present
- Long-legged myotis, Myotis volans, montane forests, riparian, meadows, uncommon
- Townsend's big-eared bat, Plecotus townsendii, montane and subalpine forest, riparian, meadows, rare, if present
Free-tailed bats
Order: Chiroptera Family: Molossidae
- Brazilian free-tailed bat, Tadarida brasiliensis, montane forests, meadows, rocky areas, rare, if present
Hares and rabbits
Order: Lagomorpha Family: Leporidae
- Snowshoe hare, Lepus americanus, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, alpine tundra, common
- White-tailed jackrabbit, Lepus townsendii, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, alpine tundra, rare
- Mountain cottontail, Sylvilagus nuttallii, montane forests, riparian, meadows, uncommon
- Eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus, montane forests, rare, if present
Pikas
Order: Lagomorpha Family: Ochotonidae
- American pika, Ochotona princeps, rocky areas, alpine tundra, common
Beavers
Order: Rodentia Family: Castoridae
- American beaver, Castor canadensis, rivers, streams, lakes, riparian, uncommon
Voles and mice
Order: Rodentia Family: Cricetidae
- Southern red-backed vole, Clethrionomys gapperi, montane and subalpine forests, common
- Long-tailed vole, Microtus longicaudis, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, riparian, uncommon
- Montane vole, Microtus montanus, meadows, riparian, common
- Meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus, meadows, riparian, rare, if present
- Sagebrush vole, Lagurus curtatus, meadows, sagebrush flats, rare, if present
- Bushy-tailed woodrat, Neotoma cinerea, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, riparian, uncommon
- Mexican woodrat, Neotoma mexicana, montane forests, meadows, riparian, rare, if present
- Common muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus, marshes, lakes, riparian, uncommon
- Deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, riparian, alpine tundra, abundant
- Northern rock mouse, Peromyscus nasutus, montane forests, meadows, riparian, uncommon
- Western heather vole, Phenacomus intermedius, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, alpine tundra, uncommon
Jumping mice
Order: Rodentia Family: Dipodidae
- Western jumping mouse, Zapus princeps, deciduous forests, meadows, riparian, common
Porcupines
Order: Rodentia Family: Erethizontidae
- North American porcupine, Erethizon dorsatum, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, uncommon
Pocket gophers
Order: Rodentia Family: Geomyidae
- Northern pocket gopher, Thomomys talpoides, meadows, alpine tundra, common
Squirrels
Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae
- Yellow-bellied marmot, Marmota flaviventris, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, alpine tundra, common
- Abert's squirrel, Sciurus aberti, montane ponderosa pine forests, uncommon
- Fox squirrel, Sciurus niger, riparian, rare (Non-native)
- Wyoming ground squirrel, Urocitellus elegans, montane forests, meadows, common
- Golden-mantled ground squirrel, Spermophilus lateralis, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, riparian, common
- Rock squirrel, Spermophilus variegiatus, montane forests, rare, if present
- Least chipmunk, Tamias minimas, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, riparian, common
- Colorado chipmunk, Tamias quadrivittatus, montane forests, meadows, rare, if present
- Uinta chipmunk, Neotamias umbrinus, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, riparian, common
- Pine squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, common
Shrews
Order: Soricomorpha Family: Soricidae
- Masked shrew, Sorex cinereus, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, meadow, alpine tundra, common
- American pygmy shrew, Sorex hoyi, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, meadow, uncommon
- Montane shrew, Sorex monticolus, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, meadow, common
- Dwarf shrew, Sorex nanus, subalpine forests, meadow, alpine tundra, rare
- American water shrew, Sorex palustris, lakes, streams, marshes, riparian, uncommon
References
- "Mammals - Rocky Mountain National Park". National Park Service. National Park Service.
- "NPSpecies". NPSpecies. National Park Service.