Colorado Mammal Catalog
Status Categories
Indigenous: occurs in an area through natural process without involvement of people.
IN: ext – extirpated; wild, self-sustaining populations eliminated so no longer living wild in Colorado
IN: ext - liv – extirpated but now kept as livestock
IN: mig – migratory; does not spend entire year within Colorado
IN: pio – pioneer; indigenous to North America but not to Colorado but expanding range through natural processes to establish a presence here
IN: res - mig – resident; local occurrence may vary with in-state seasonal migration
IN: res - sed – resident; no in-state seasonal migration so found in same area year round
IN: unk – unknown; status in state uncertain, requires more information
Exotic: “from another land,” meaning a species occurs in an area as a consequence of human involvement in geographic displacement, typically from another continent.
EX: liv – livestock; some portion of daily life needs acquired independently from the wild and some portion provided by human care
EX: est – established; surviving with a self-sustaining population
EX: fer – feral; not established but surviving only by ongoing releases or escapes
EX: his – historical; lived wild in the state since settlement times but not known to be surviving with a self-sustaining population
EX: pio – pioneer; originating as an exotic species outside Colorado but then expanding range through natural processes to arrive and establish a self-sustaining population here without direct human involvement
EX: sto – stocked; captured outside Colorado then released here for the purpose of establishing a wild, self-sustaining population
EX: unk – unknown; status in state uncertain, requires more information
American Name Latin Name Colorado Status
Armadillos Dasypodidae
1 Armadillo, Nine-banded Dasypus novemcinctus IN: unk, pio
Bears Ursidae
Bear, Black Ursus americanus IN: res - sed
2 Bear, Grizzly Ursus arctos IN: ext
Beavers Castoridae
Beaver, American Castor canadensis IN: res - sed
Jerboas Dipodidae
3 Jumping-Mouse, Meadow Zapus hudsonius IN: res - sed
Jumping-Mouse, Western Zapus princeps IN: res - sed
Coypus Myocastoridae
4 Coypu Myocastor coypus EX: his
Camels Camelidae
5 Llama Lama glama EX: liv
Cats Felidae
Bobcat Lynx rufus IN: res - sed
6 Cat, House Felis silvestris EX: fer (est?)
7 Cougar Puma concolor IN: res - sed
8 Lynx Lynx lynx IN: res - sed
Cattles Bovidae
Bison, American Bison bison IN: ext - liv
9 Cattle Bos taurus EX: liv
10 Goat Capra hircus EX: fer, liv
11 Mountain-Goat Oreamnos americanus EX: sto
12 Sheep, Domestic Ovis aries EX: liv
Sheep, Bighorn Ovis canadensis IN: res - sto - mig
13 Yak Bos grunniens EX: liv
Deers Cervidae
Deer, Mule Odocoileus hemionus IN: res - mig
Deer, White-tailed Odocoileus virginianus IN: res - mig, sed
Elk Cervus elaphus IN: res - mig
14 Moose Alces alces IN: res - sto
Dogs Canidae
Coyote Canis latrans IN: res - sed
15 Dog Canis familiaris EX: fer (est?)
Fox, Gray Urocyon cinereoargenteus IN: res - sed
16 Fox, Kit Vulpes macrotis IN: res - sed
Fox, Red Vulpes vulpes IN: res - sed
Fox, Swift Vulpes velox IN: res - sed
17 Wolf, Gray Canis lupus IN: ext (pio?)
Evening-Bats Vespertilionidae
Bat, Red Lasiurus borealis IN: mig
Bat, Hoary Lasiurus cinereus IN: mig
Bat, Silver-haired Lasionycteris noctivagans IN: mig
Bat, Big Brown Eptesicus fuscus IN: res
18 Bat, Spotted Euderma maculatum 2 records
Bat, Pallid Antrozous pallidus IN: res
Big-eared Bat, Townsend’s Plecotus townsendii IN: res - sed
Myotis, California Myotis californicus IN: mig ?
Myotis, Fringed Myotis thysanodes IN: res - mig ?
Myotis, Little Brown Myotis lucifugus IN: res
Myotis, Long-eared Myotis evotis IN: res ?
Myotis, Long-legged Myotis volans IN: res ?
Myotis, Yuma Myotis yumanensis IN: res ?
Myotis, Western Small-footed Myotis ciliolabrum IN: res
19 Pipistrelle, Eastern Pipistrellus subflavus 1 record
Pipistrelle, Western Pipistrellus hesperus IN: res - sed
Freetail-Bats Molossidae
20 Free-tailed Bat, Big Nyctinomops macrotis IN: mig
Free-tailed Bat, Brazilian Tadarida brasiliensis IN: mig
Hedgehogs Erinaceidae
21 Hedgehog, European Erinaceus europeus EX: his
Horses Equidae
22 Horse Equus caballus EX: est
Mice Cricetidae
Cotton-Rat, Hispid Sigmodon hispidus IN: res - sed
Grasshopper-Mouse, Northern Onychomys leucogaster IN: res - sed
Harvest-Mouse, Plains Reithrodontomys montanus IN: res - sed
Harvest-Mouse, Western Reithrodontomys megalotis IN: res - sed
Mouse, Brush Peromyscus boylii IN: res - sed
Mouse, Canyon Peromyscus crinitus IN: res - sed
Mouse, Deer Peromyscus maniculatus IN: res - sed
Mouse, Pinyon Peromyscus truei IN: res - sed
Mouse, White-footed Peromyscus leucopus IN: res - sed
Rock-Mouse, Northern Peromyscus nasutus IN: res - sed
Woodrat, Bushy-tailed Neotoma cinerea IN: res - sed
Woodrat, Desert Neotoma lepida IN: res - sed
Woodrat, Eastern Neotoma floridana IN: res - sed
Woodrat, Mexican Neotoma mexicana IN: res - sed
Woodrat, Southern Plains Neotoma micropus IN: res - sed
Woodrat, White-throated Neotoma albigula IN: res - sed
Moles Talpidae
Mole, Eastern Scalopus aquaticus IN: res - sed - (pio?)
Opossums Didelphidae
23 Mouse-Opossum Marmosa mexicana see notes
23 Mouse-Opossum Micoureus alstoni see notes
24 Opossum, Virginia Didelphis virginiana IN: pio
Pikas Ochotonidae
Pika, American Ochotona princeps IN: res - sed
Pocket-Gophers Geomyidae
Pocket-Gopher, Botta’s Thomomys bottae IN: res - sed
Pocket-Gopher, Northern Thomomys talpoides IN: res - sed
Pocket-Gopher, Plains Geomys bursarius IN: res - sed
Pocket-Gopher, Yellow-faced Cratogeomys castanops IN: res - sed
Pocket-Mice Heteromyidae
Kangaroo-Rat, Ord’s Dipodomys ordii IN: res - sed
Pocket-Mouse, Great Basin Perognathus parvus IN: res - sed
Pocket-Mouse, Hispid Chaetodipus hispidus IN: res - sed
Pocket-Mouse, Olive-backed Perognathus fasciatus IN: res - sed
Pocket-Mouse, Plains Perognathus flavescens IN: res - sed
Pocket-Mouse, Silky Perognathus flavus IN: res - sed
Porcupines Erethizontidae
Porcupine Erethizon dorsatum IN: res - sed
Pronghorns Antilocapridae
25 Pronghorn Antilocapra americana IN: res - mig, sed
Rabbits Leporidae
Cottontail, Desert Sylvilagus audubonii IN: res - sed
Cottontail, Eastern Sylvilagus floridanus IN: res - sed
Cottontail, Mountain Sylvilagus nuttallii IN: res - sed
Hare, Snowshoe Lepus americanus IN: res - sed
Jackrabbit, Black-tailed Lepus californicus IN: res - sed
Jackrabbit, White-tailed Lepus townsendii IN: res - sed
Raccoons Procyonidae
Raccoon Procyon lotor IN: res - sed
Ringtail Bassariscus astutus IN: res - sed
Shrews Soricidae
Shrew, Desert Notiosorex crawfordii IN: res - sed
Shrew, Dwarf Sorex nanus IN: res - sed
Shrew, Elliot’s Short-tailed Blarina hylophaga IN: res - sed
Shrew, Least Cryptotis parva IN: res - sed
Shrew, Masked Sorex cinereus IN: res - sed
Shrew, Merriam’s Sorex merriami IN: res - sed
Shrew, Montane Sorex monticolus IN: res - sed
26 Shrew, Preble’s Sorex preblei IN: res - sed
Shrew, Pygmy Sorex hoyi IN: res - sed
Shrew, Water Sorex palustris IN: ukn
Skunks Mephitidae
27a Hognose-Skunk, Common Conepatus mesoleucus IN: ukn, ext ?
27b Skunk, Striped Mephitis mephitis IN: res - sed
27c Spotted-Skunk, Eastern Spilogale putorius IN: res - sed
27c Spotted-Skunk, Western Spilogale gracilis IN: res - sed
Squirrels Sciuridae
28 Antelope-Squirrel, White-tailed Ammospermophilus leucurus IN: res - sed
29 Chickaree, Common Tamiasciurus hudsonicus IN: res - sed
Chipmunk, Cliff Tamias dorsalis IN: res - sed
Chipmunk, Least Tamias minimus IN: res - sed
Chipmunk, Colorado Tamias quadrivittatus IN: res - sed
Chipmunk, Hopi Tamias rufus IN: res - sed
Chipmunk, Uinta Tamias umbrinus IN: res - sed
Ground-Squirrel, Golden-mantled Spermophilus lateralis IN: res - sed
30 Ground-Squirrel, Rock Spermophilus variegatus IN: res - sed
Ground-Squirrel, Spotted Spermophilus spilosoma IN: res - sed
Ground-Squirrel, Thirteen-lined Spermophilus tridecemlineatus IN: res - sed
31 Ground-Squirrel, Wyoming Spermophilus elegans IN: res - sed
Marmot, Yellow-bellied Marmota flaviventris IN: res - sed
32 Squirrel, Tassel-eared Sciurus aberti IN: res - sed
Squirrel, Fox Sciurus niger IN: pio, sto
33 Steppe-Squirrel, Black-tailed Cynomys ludovicianus IN: res - sed
33 Steppe-Squirrel, Gunnison’s Cynomys gunnisoni IN: res - sed
33 Steppe-Squirrel, White-tailed Cynomys leucurus IN: res - sed
Voles Muridae
34 Mouse, House Mus musculus EX: pio
Muskrat, Common Ondatra zibethicus IN: res - sed
35 Rat, Brown Rattus norvegicus EX: pio
Vole, Heather Phenacomys intermedius IN: res - sed
Vole, Long-tailed Microtus longicaudus IN: res - sed
Vole, Meadow Microtus pennsylvanicus IN: res - sed
Vole, Mexican Microtus mexicanus IN: res - sed
Vole, Montane Microtus montanus IN: res - sed
Vole, Prairie Microtus ochrogaster IN: res - sed
Vole, Sagebrush Lemmiscus curtatus IN: res - sed
Vole, Southern Red-backed Clethrionomys gapperi IN: res - sed
Weasels Mustelidae
Badger Taxidea taxus IN: res - sed
36 Ferret, Black-footed Mustela nigripes IN: ext - sto
Marten, American Martes americana IN: res - sed
37 Mink Mustela vison IN: res - sed - EX: est
38 Otter, River Lutra canadensis IN: ext - sto
Weasel, Short-tailed Mustela erminea IN: res - sed
Weasel, Long-tailed Mustela frenata IN: res - sed
39 Wolverine Gulo gulo IN: ext
1 Nine-banded Armadillo — The species probably occurs in the state as lone individuals wandering. However, a decade of warmer than average winter temperatures might favor a pulse of Armadillos wandering into Colorado from Oklahoma or Kansas. Conversely, a decade of below average precipitation may disfavor them. No reports of Armadillos in Colorado have been published since 1987.
2 Grizzly Bear —
3 Meadow Jumping-Mouse —
4 Coypu —
5 Llama —
6 House Cat —
7 Cougar —
8 Lynx —
9 Cattle —
10 Goat —
11 Mountain-Goat —
12 Domestic Sheep —
13 Yak —
14 Moose —
15 Dog — Genetics studies and other evidence from molecular biology strongly suggest a closer affinity to Gray Wolf than originally thought, so some mammalogists now treat the domestic Dog as the same species as the Gray Wolf, Canis lupus. Many Dogs live as feral individuals, but evidence that indicates it has become established with a wild self-sustaining population is skimpy. Cheri Jones studied and reported on feral Dogs breeding in Denver.
16 Kit Fox —
17 Gray Wolf —