There are forty-eight mammal species in Belarus, of which two are endangered, four are vulnerable, and three are near threatened. One of the species listed for Belarus can no longer be found in the wild.[1]
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 programmes and may have moved into a higher risk category if that programme was discontinued. |
LR/nt | Lower risk/near threatened | Species which are close to being classified as vulnerable but are not the subject of conservation programmes. |
LR/lc | Lower risk/least concern | Species for which there are no identifiable risks. |
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 45 kg (100 lb).
- Suborder: Sciurognathi
- Family: Castoridae (beavers)
- Genus: Castor
- Eurasian beaver, C. fiber LC[2]
- Genus: Castor
- Family: Sciuridae (squirrels)
- Subfamily: Sciurinae
- Tribe: Pteromyini
- Genus: Pteromys
- Siberian flying squirrel, P. volans LC possibly extirpated
- Genus: Pteromys
- Tribe: Pteromyini
- Subfamily: Sciurinae
- Family: Gliridae (dormice)
- Subfamily: Leithiinae
- Genus: Dryomys
- Forest dormouse, D. nitedula LC
- Genus: Muscardinus
- Hazel dormouse, M. avellanarius LC
- Genus: Dryomys
- Subfamily: Glirinae
- Genus: Glis
- European edible dormouse, G. glis LC
- Genus: Glis
- Subfamily: Leithiinae
- Family: Cricetidae
- Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- Genus: Arvicola
- European water vole, A. amphibius LC[3]
- Genus: Clethrionomys
- Bank vole, C. glareolus
- Genus: Microtus
- Field vole, M. agrestis
- Common vole, M. arvalis
- Tundra vole, M. oeconomus LC
- Genus: Arvicola
- Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- Family: Muridae (mice, rats, voles, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)
- Subfamily: Murinae
- Genus: Apodemus
- Striped field mouse, A. agrarius
- Yellow-necked mouse, A. flavicollis
- Wood mouse, A. sylvaticus LC
- Ural field mouse, A. uralensis
- Genus: Micromys
- Eurasian harvest mouse, M. minutus
- Genus: Apodemus
- Subfamily: Murinae
- Family: Castoridae (beavers)
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 twentieth 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: Lepus
- European hare, L. europaeus LC[4]
- Mountain hare, L. timidus LC[5]
- Genus: Lepus
Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)
The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and gymnures. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats.
- Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs)
- Subfamily: Erinaceinae
- Genus: Erinaceus
- Southern white-breasted hedgehog, E. concolor LC
- Northern White-breasted Hedgehog, E. roumanicus LC
- Genus: Erinaceus
- Subfamily: Erinaceinae
Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
- Family: Soricidae (shrews)
- Subfamily: Crocidurinae
- Genus: Crocidura
- Lesser white-toothed shrew, C. suaveolens LC[6]
- Genus: Crocidura
- Subfamily: Soricinae
- Tribe: Nectogalini
- Genus: Neomys
- Eurasian water shrew, Neomys fodiens
- Genus: Neomys
- Tribe: Soricini
- Genus: Sorex
- Laxmann's shrew, Sorex caecutiens
- Eurasian pygmy shrew, Sorex minutus
- Genus: Sorex
- Tribe: Nectogalini
- Subfamily: Crocidurinae
- Family: Talpidae (moles)
- Subfamily: Talpinae
- Tribe: Desmanini
- Genus: Desmana
- Russian desman, D. moschata EN extirpated
- Genus: Desmana
- Tribe: Desmanini
- Subfamily: Talpinae
Order: Chiroptera (bats)
The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.
- Family: Vespertilionidae
- Subfamily: Myotinae
- Genus: Myotis
- Bechstein's bat, M. bechsteini NT[7]
- Pond bat, M. dasycneme NT[8]
- Greater mouse-eared bat, M. myotis LC[9]
- Natterer's bat, Myotis nattereri LC[10]
- Genus: Myotis
- Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
- Genus: Barbastella
- Western barbastelle, B. barbastellus NT[11]
- Genus: Nyctalus
- Greater noctule bat, N. lasiopterus NT[12]
- Lesser noctule, N. leisleri LC[13]
- Genus: Barbastella
- Subfamily: Myotinae
Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
- Suborder: Feliformia
- Family: Felidae (cats)
- Subfamily: Felinae
- Genus: Felis
- European wildcat, F. silvestris LC
- Genus: Lynx
- Eurasian lynx, L. lynx LC[14]
- Genus: Felis
- Subfamily: Felinae
- Family: Felidae (cats)
- Suborder: Caniformia
- Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
- Family: Ursidae (bears)
- Genus: Ursus
- Brown bear, U. arctos LC[17]
- Eurasian brown bear, U. a. arctos
- Brown bear, U. arctos LC[17]
- Genus: Ursus
- Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
- Genus: Lutra
- Eurasian otter, L. lutra NT[18]
- Genus: Martes
- Beech marten, M. foina LC[19]
- Genus: Meles
- European badger, M. meles LC[20]
- Genus: Mustela
- Stoat, M. erminea LC[21]
- Steppe polecat, M. eversmannii LC[22]
- European mink, M. lutreola CR extirpated[23]
- Least weasel, M. nivalis LC[24]
- European polecat, M. putorius LC[25]
- Genus: Neogale
- American mink, N. vison LC introduced[26]
- Genus: Lutra
Order: Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates)
The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and grazing mammals. They are usually large to very large, and have relatively simple stomachs and a large middle toe.
- Family: Equidae (horses etc.)
- Genus: Equus
- Wild horse, E. ferus EN reintroduced
- Przewalski's horse, E. f. przewalskii EN reintroduced[27][28][29][30]
- Wild horse, E. ferus EN reintroduced
- Genus: Equus
Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
The even-toed ungulates are ungulates whose weight is borne about equally by the third and fourth toes, rather than mostly or entirely by the third as in perissodactyls. There are about 220 artiodactyl species, including many that are of great economic importance to humans.
See also
Notes
References
- "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Mammals of Belarus". IUCN. 2001. Retrieved 22 May 2007. [dead link]
- "Mammal Species of the World". Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. 2005. Archived from the original on 27 April 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2007.
- "Animal Diversity Web". University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. 1995–2006. Retrieved 22 May 2007.