Top 20 Threatened Small Mammals
Think of endangered mammals and most people will think of giant pandas, tigers and organg-utans. But there are also a jaw-dropping 437 species of small mammal that are currently considered to be globally threatened with extinction. Among these are those that are on the very brink of extinction – Critically Endangered species. For some of these species, populations have collapsed down to fewer than 100 individuals and often the entire global range may be just a few hectares on a tiny island or mountaintop.
Here is our list of the ‘Top 20’ threatened small mammals. All of them require urgent surveys, action-plans and conservation measures. For more information, click on each species to take you to the relevant account on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Red List status: CR
Population trend: Decreasing
Endemic to: Brazil
Major threats: Poorly known but assumed to be direct and indirect effects of deforestation
Red List status: CR
Population trend: Decreasing
Endemic to: Mexico
Major threats: Its habitat is severely fragmented by agriculture and industrialization and is vulnerable to the growth of three cities
Red List status: EN
Population trend: Unknown
Endemic to: Kenya
Major threats: Fragmented or severely degraded habitat due to conversion of forest to agricultural use, including plantations and harvesting of firewood
Red List status: CR
Population trend: Decreasing
Endemic to: Brazil (Moleques Island do Sul)
Major threats: Hunting is presumed a threat and people have free access to the island with little protected area enforcement
Red List status: EN
Population trend: Decreasing
Endemic to: Kazakhstan; Russian Federation; Ukraine
Major threats: Widespread use of fishing nets by poachers, electric landing nets that wipe out the species’ food supply as well as habitat loss and degradation
Red List status: CR
Population trend: Decreasing
Endemic to: Argentina
Major threats: A naturally restricted range and continual decline and degradation of habitat
Red List status: CR
Population trend: Decreasing
Found: Solomon Islands (Choiseul), Papua New Guinea (Bougainville)
Major threats: Hunting on both islands and Logging, especially selective logging of trees used for nesting
Red List status: CR
Population trend: Decreasing
Endemic to: Mexico
Major threats: Extensive conversion of habitat to agriculture
Red List status: CR
Population trend: Decreasing
Endemic to: Japan (Okinawa Island)
Major threats: Predation by invasive species such as feral cats, mongooses and black rats as well as deforestation through government programs
Red List status: EN
Population trend: Unknown
Endemic to: Madagascar
Major threats: Habitat loss due to climatic changes and human encroachment; poaching; feral cats and dogs
Red List status: CR
Population trend: Decreasing
Endemic to: India
Major threats: Loss of habitat, overgrazing of vegetation and disturbance from tourism
Red List status: CR
Population trend: Decreasing
Endemic to: Mexico
Major threats: Deforestation
Red List status: CR
Population trend: Decreasing
Endemic to: Mexico
Major threats: Competition from introduced house rats and mice, predation from introduced feral dogs, cats, and Boa constrictor
Red List status: CR
Population trend: Decreasing
Endemic to: Mexico
Major threats: Predation by introduced feral cats
Red List status: CR
Population trend: Decreasing
Endemic to: Canada (Vancouver Island)
Major threats: Predation and indirect affects of logging
Red List status: CR
Population trend: Decreasing
Endemic to: Mexico (Montserrat Island)
Major threats: Predation by feral cats
Red List status: CR
Population trend: Decreasing
Endemic to: Bolivia
Major threats: Habitat fragmentation due to clearance of cloud forest for cattle pasture and human settlement along a road through its range
Red List status: CR
Population trend: Decreasing
Endemic to: Indonesia
Major threats: Presumably hunted for food by local people as well as habitat loss through deforestation for timber and conversion for cultivation
Red List status: CR
Population trend: Decreasing
Endemic to: Austria
Major threats: Habitat loss
Red List status: CR
Population trend: Decreasing
Endemic to: India (Andaman Island)
Major threats: Habitat loss due to anthropogenic activities
