Mammals of Kansas

80 established wild species in Kansas. Plus 7 range-listed species with few or no digitized records.

All species A-Z →

AmericanBadger

American Badger

Taxidea taxus

Occasional in Kansas 78 sightings
Size 63.9 cm2.1 ft Weight 4–12 kg8.8–26.5 lb active by night grassland

Sightings by month

Beaver swimming low in murky green pond water with only its wet head and back above the surface

American Beaver

Castor canadensis

Common in Kansas 265 sightings
Size 60–90 cm2–3 ft Weight 11–32 kg24.3–70.5 lb active day & night river

Sightings by month

Image-American bison rests at hot spring in yellowstone national park 1

American Bison

Bison bison

Occasional in Kansas 113 sightings
Size 1.9–2 m6.1–6.6 ft Weight 360–1000 kg793.7–2204.6 lb active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

Norka amerykańska (neovison vison)

American Mink

Neogale vison

Rarely seen in Kansas 44 sightings
Size 33–45.7 cm13–18 in Weight 0.5–1.4 kg1–3 lb active day & night lake

Sightings by month

Big Brown Bats (Eptesicus fuscus)

Big Brown Bat

Eptesicus fuscus

Occasional in Kansas 100 sightings
Size 7.5 cm3 in Weight 17 g0.6 oz active by night agricultural

Sightings by month

Big free-tailed bat clinging to tree bark with long ears and narrow wings visible

Big Free-tailed Bat

Nyctinomops macrotis

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 12–16 cm4.7–6.3 in Weight 21 g0.7 oz active by night cave
Live black rat climbing through branches

Black Rat

Rattus rattus

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
Size 16–24 cm6.3–9.4 in Weight 75–230 g2.6–8.1 oz active by night agricultural
Black-footed ferret checking out his new digs (30027077935)

Black-footed Ferret

Mustela nigripes

Marginal occurrence · 7 records
Size 38–50 cm15–19.7 in Weight 0.7–1.2 kg1.4–2.6 lb active by night great basin desert
Black-tailed jackrabbit (6785302534)

Black-tailed Jackrabbit

Lepus californicus

Occasional in Kansas 63 sightings
Size 47–63 cm1.5–2.1 ft Weight 1.3–3.6 kg2.9–7.9 lb active by night open desert

Sightings by month

black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus)

Black-tailed Prairie Dog

Cynomys ludovicianus

Common in Kansas 212 sightings
Size 28–36 cm11–14.2 in Weight 0.7–1.5 kg1.5–3.3 lb active by day grassland

Sightings by month

Bobcat (Lynx rufus)

Bobcat

Lynx rufus

Occasional in Kansas 105 sightings
Size 30–60 cm11.8–23.6 in Weight 4–18 kg8.8–39.7 lb active by night forest edge

Sightings by month

Cluster of cave myotis bats roosting on a cave ceiling in Texas

Cave Myotis

Myotis velifer

Common in Kansas 675 sightings
Size 5–6 cm2–2.4 in Weight 12–15 g0.4–0.5 oz active by night cave

Sightings by month

Common Raccoon in Hugh Taylor Birch State Park

Common Raccoon

Procyon lotor

Common in Kansas 634 sightings
Size 40–70 cm1.3–2.3 ft Weight 3.5–9 kg7.7–19.8 lb active by night mixed forest

Sightings by month

Mother Coyote Sitting, Watching Over Den, Photo 1 of 2 (47924154788)

Coyote

Canis latrans

Common in Kansas 262 sightings
Size 0.8–1 m2.5–3.3 ft Weight 7–21 kg15.4–46.3 lb active day & night urban

Sightings by month

Desert cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus audubonii) (5-13-11) patagonia lake, scc, az -01 (5720663856)

Desert Cottontail

Sylvilagus audubonii

Rarely seen in Kansas 8 sightings
Size 35–43 cm13.8–16.9 in Weight 0.7–1.2 kg1.5–2.6 lb active day & night desert

Sightings by month

Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

Eastern Chipmunk

Tamias striatus

Occasional in Kansas 80 sightings
Size 16.6 cm6.5 in Weight 93 g3.3 oz active by day urban

Sightings by month

Blacklick Woods - Eastern cottontail feeding 1

Eastern Cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus

Common in Kansas 1,196 sightings
Size 36–43 cm14.2–16.9 in Weight 0.8–1.5 kg1.8–3.3 lb active day & night lake

Sightings by month

Grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) 01

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

Common in Kansas 822 sightings
Size 23–30 cm9.1–11.8 in Weight 400–710 g0.9–1.6 lb active by day wetland

Sightings by month

Eastern Mole (Scalopus aquaticus)

Eastern Mole

Scalopus aquaticus

Occasional in Kansas 82 sightings
Size 14.8 cm5.8 in Weight 75 g2.6 oz active day & night river

Sightings by month

Eastern red bat roosting among green leaves, disguised as a dead leaf

Eastern Red Bat

Lasiurus borealis

Occasional in Kansas 53 sightings
Size 9.3–11.7 cm3.7–4.6 in Weight 7–13 g0.2–0.5 oz active by night desert

Sightings by month

Eastern woodrat climbing in a shrub

Eastern Woodrat

Neotoma floridana

Common in Kansas 1,068 sightings
Size 21.4 cm8.4 in Weight 208 g7.3 oz active by night coastal

Sightings by month

Elk (Cervus canadensis)

Elk

Cervus canadensis

Rarely seen in Kansas 23 sightings
Size 1.6–2.7 m5.2–8.9 ft Weight 178–497 kg392.4–1095.7 lb active day & night forest edge

Sightings by month

AI-generated image: Elliot's Short-tailed Shrew in side profile on leaf litter soil. No public-domain photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy

Elliot's Short-tailed Shrew

Blarina hylophaga

Common in Kansas 245 sightings
Size 9–12 cm3.5–4.7 in Weight 15 g0.5 oz active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

European rabbit feeding in dry vegetation

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Marginal occurrence · 4 records
Size 34–50 cm13.4–19.7 in Weight 1–2.5 kg2.2–5.5 lb active by night grassland
Evening bat resting, brown fur and dark ears and wings visible, not restrained

Evening Bat

Nycticeius humeralis

Rarely seen in Kansas 26 sightings
Size 5 cm2 in Weight 7–15 g0.2–0.5 oz active by night agricultural

Sightings by month

Sciurus niger

Fox Squirrel

Sciurus niger

Common in Kansas 1,196 sightings
Size 25.4–38.1 cm10–15 in Weight 804 g1.8 lb active by day river

Sightings by month

Franklin's Ground Squirrel in Nebraska

Franklin's Ground Squirrel

Poliocitellus franklinii

Occasional in Kansas 66 sightings
Size 36–41 cm14.2–16.1 in Weight 370 g13.1 oz active by day grassland

Sightings by month

Fulvous harvest mouse climbing through dry seed heads at night

Fulvous harvest mouse

Reithrodontomys fulvescens

Rarely seen in Kansas 24 sightings
Size 8.1 cm3.2 in Weight 13 g0.5 oz active by night desert

Sightings by month

Myotis grisescens colony

Gray Bat

Myotis grisescens

Rarely seen in Kansas 7 sightings
Size 7.5–10.1 cm3–4 in Weight 10 g0.4 oz active by night cave

Sightings by month

Gray fox standing in dappled woodland

Gray Fox

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

Rarely seen in Kansas 8 sightings
Size 0.8–1.1 m2.5–3.7 ft Weight 3–9 kg6.6–19.8 lb active day & night brushy woodland

Sightings by month

Silver-gray wolf walking along a gravel bank in Alaska

Gray Wolf

Canis lupus

Occasional in Kansas 60 sightings
Size 1.1–1.6 m3.4–5.2 ft Weight 23–80 kg50.7–176.4 lb active day & night cave

Sightings by month

Groundhog (Marmota monax)

Groundhog

Marmota monax

Common in Kansas 179 sightings
Size 50.6 cm19.9 in Weight 3.4 kg7.5 lb active by day woodland

Sightings by month

AI-generated image: Hall's Pocket Gopher in side profile beside soil mound in grassland. No public-domain photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy

Hall's Pocket Gopher

Geomys jugossicularis

Rarely seen in Kansas 22 sightings
Size 13–18 cm5.1–7.1 in Weight 187 g6.6 oz active day & night wetland

Sightings by month

Hispid cotton rat moving through short green grass

Hispid cotton rat

Sigmodon hispidus

Common in Kansas 3,235 sightings
Size 18.5 cm7.3 in Weight 160 g5.6 oz active day & night river

Sightings by month

Hispid pocket mouse standing on pale rocky ground at night

Hispid Pocket Mouse

Chaetodipus hispidus

Common in Kansas 365 sightings
Size 17–23 cm6.7–9.1 in Weight 30–47 g1.1–1.7 oz active by night river

Sightings by month

House mouse in dry plant litter

House Mouse

Mus musculus

Occasional in Kansas 170 sightings
Size 5–10 cm2–3.9 in Weight 12–30 g0.4–1.1 oz active by night agricultural

Sightings by month

Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis)

Least Weasel

Mustela nivalis

Occasional in Kansas 83 sightings
Size 26 cm10.2 in Weight 50 g1.8 oz active by night grassland

Sightings by month

Long-tailed weasel standing alert in grass with its black-tipped tail curled behind it, Sonoma County, California

Long-tailed Weasel

Neogale frenata

Rarely seen in Kansas 32 sightings
Size 24.8 cm9.8 in Weight 170 g6 oz active day & night wetland

Sightings by month

Tadarida brasiliensis - Bahamas - Long Island (sic) - Cartwright Cave - March 2006 - 2

Mexican Free-tailed Bat

Tadarida brasiliensis

Occasional in Kansas 72 sightings
Size 3.1–4.1 cm1.2–1.6 in Weight 7–12 g0.2–0.4 oz active by night cave

Sightings by month

Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)

Mule Deer

Odocoileus hemionus

Occasional in Kansas 80 sightings
Size 1.3–1.7 m4.1–5.5 ft Weight 55–150 kg121.3–330.7 lb active day & night river

Sightings by month

Muskrats resting on a floating log in open water

Muskrat

Ondatra zibethicus

Common in Kansas 216 sightings
Size 25–36 cm9.8–14.2 in Weight 0.6–2 kg1.3–4.4 lb active day & night wetland

Sightings by month

Nine-banded Armadillo

Nine-banded Armadillo

Dasypus mexicanus

Common in Kansas 349 sightings
Size 60–90 cm2–3 ft Weight 3–8 kg6.6–17.6 lb active by night forest

Sightings by month

Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) (9310532204)

North American Deermouse

Peromyscus maniculatus

Common in Kansas 5,559 sightings
Size 8–10 cm3.1–3.9 in Weight 21 g0.7 oz active by night river

Sightings by month

North American least shrew moving through short grass

North American Least Shrew

Cryptotis parvus

Occasional in Kansas 58 sightings
Size 5–8 cm2–3.1 in Weight 6 g0.2 oz active by night grassland

Sightings by month

Erethizontidae Erethizon dorsatum 3.2

North American Porcupine

Erethizon dorsatus

Occasional in Kansas 58 sightings
Size 60–90 cm2–3 ft Weight 3.5–12 kg7.7–26.5 lb active by night mixed forest

Sightings by month

River Otter (Lontra canadensis)

North American River Otter

Lontra canadensis

Rarely seen in Kansas 31 sightings
Size 0.7–1.1 m2.2–3.5 ft Weight 5–15 kg11–33.1 lb active day & night river

Sightings by month

Northern grasshopper mouse walking beside desert grass

Northern Grasshopper Mouse

Onychomys leucogaster

Common in Kansas 1,110 sightings
Size 12.7 cm5 in Weight 33 g1.2 oz active by night grassland

Sightings by month

Hoary bat in flight against blue sky, wings spread to show its yellow throat patch and heavily frosted fur

Northern Hoary Bat

Lasiurus cinereus

Rarely seen in Kansas 4 sightings
Size 13–15 cm5.1–5.9 in Weight 26 g0.9 oz active by night cave

Sightings by month

Northern myotis hanging head-down from a rock ceiling, long ears and tan fur visible

Northern Myotis

Myotis septentrionalis

Occasional in Kansas 127 sightings
Size 8.6 cm3.4 in Weight 6 g0.2 oz active by night coniferous forest

Sightings by month

Northern Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda)

Northern Short-tailed Shrew

Blarina brevicauda

Rarely seen in Kansas 27 sightings
Size 11.1 cm4.4 in Weight 21 g0.7 oz active day & night riparian

Sightings by month

Live Norway rat beside shallow water

Norway Rat

Rattus norvegicus

Rarely seen in Kansas 4 sightings
Size 15–28 cm5.9–11 in Weight 140–500 g0.3–1.1 lb active by night urban

Sightings by month

Ord's kangaroo rat standing in profile, showing its huge hind feet and long tufted tail

Ord's Kangaroo Rat

Dipodomys ordii

Common in Kansas 237 sightings
Size 21–36.5 cm8.3–14.4 in Weight 50 g1.8 oz active by night great basin desert

Sightings by month

Pallid bat roosting on a cave wall

Pallid Bat

Antrozous pallidus

Occasional in Kansas 133 sightings
Size 6–8.5 cm2.4–3.3 in Weight 14–25 g0.5–0.9 oz active by night desert scrub

Sightings by month

Plains harvest mouse close-up among dry grass stems and twigs

Plains Harvest Mouse

Reithrodontomys montanus

Common in Kansas 502 sightings
Size 7.6 cm3 in Weight 10 g0.4 oz active by night grassland

Sightings by month

Plains pocket gopher emerging from a burrow in reddish soil

Plains Pocket Gopher

Geomys bursarius

Occasional in Kansas 156 sightings
Size 25–35 cm9.8–13.8 in Weight 187 g6.6 oz active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

Apache pocket mouse, a subspecies of the plains pocket mouse, eating seeds on sandy ground

Plains pocket mouse

Perognathus flavescens

Occasional in Kansas 150 sightings
Size 6.9 cm2.7 in Weight 9 g0.3 oz active by night desert

Sightings by month

Plains spotted skunk walking through rocky leaf litter in Texas

Plains Spotted Skunk

Spilogale interrupta

Common in Kansas 254 sightings
Size 35–55 cm13.8–21.7 in Weight 583 g1.3 lb active by night wetland

Sightings by month

AI-generated image: Prairie Shrew foraging in shortgrass prairie ground litter. No public-domain photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy.

Prairie Shrew

Sorex haydeni

Marginal occurrence · 9 records
Size 7–10 cm2.8–3.9 in Weight 3–6 g0.1–0.2 oz active by night prairie
AI-generated image: Prairie Vole alert in a grassy meadow, stocky grizzled brown-gray body and short tail. No public-domain photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy

Prairie Vole

Microtus ochrogaster

Common in Kansas 1,760 sightings
Size 12.4 cm4.9 in Weight 47 g1.7 oz active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

Pronghorn buck standing in a meadow of yellow wildflowers

Pronghorn

Antilocapra americana

Occasional in Kansas 82 sightings
Size 1.2–1.5 m3.9–4.9 ft Weight 32–70 kg70.5–154.3 lb active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)

Red Fox

Vulpes vulpes

Common in Kansas 264 sightings
Size 43 cm16.9 in Weight 5–10 kg11–22 lb active day & night desert

Sightings by month

Ringtail standing on rocks at night with its black-and-white banded tail visible

Ringtail

Bassariscus astutus

Marginal occurrence · 3 records
Size 30–42 cm11.8–16.5 in Weight 0.7–1.1 kg1.5–2.5 lb active by night urban
Silky pocket mouse crouched on sandy grassland ground

Silky Pocket Mouse

Perognathus flavus

Occasional in Kansas 101 sightings
Size 9.5–11.8 cm3.7–4.6 in Weight 6–9 g0.2–0.3 oz active by night grassland

Sightings by month

Silver-haired bat tucked into loose bark

Silver-haired Bat

Lasionycteris noctivagans

Rarely seen in Kansas 33 sightings
Size 9.5–11.5 cm3.7–4.5 in Weight 11 g0.4 oz active by night river

Sightings by month

AI-generated image: Southern bog lemming alert among wet sedges and sphagnum at a bog edge. No public-domain photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy

Southern Bog Lemming

Synaptomys cooperi

Common in Kansas 616 sightings
Size 11.8 cm4.6 in Weight 35 g1.2 oz active day & night mixed conifer

Sightings by month

Southern Flying Squirrel-27527-1

Southern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys volans

Occasional in Kansas 52 sightings
Size 17.1 cm6.7 in Weight 65 g2.3 oz active by night deciduous forest

Sightings by month

Southern meadow jumping mouse in grass and leaf litter

Southern Meadow Jumping Mouse

Zapus luteus

Occasional in Kansas 53 sightings
Size 18–24 cm7.1–9.4 in Weight 12–30 g0.4–1.1 oz active by night moist grassland

Sightings by month

Southern Plains Wood rat

Southern Plains Woodrat

Neotoma micropus

Common in Kansas 352 sightings
Size 21.3 cm8.4 in Weight 203 g7.2 oz active by night rocky outcrop

Sightings by month

Spotted ground squirrel sitting upright at a burrow entrance, its back covered in scattered white spots

Spotted Ground Squirrel

Xerospermophilus spilosoma

Rarely seen in Kansas 13 sightings
Size 18–25 cm7.1–9.8 in Weight 100–200 g3.5–7.1 oz active by day grassland

Sightings by month

Mephitis mephitis in Dierenpark Zie-ZOO

Striped Skunk

Mephitis mephitis

Common in Kansas 185 sightings
Size 46.5–81.5 cm1.5–2.7 ft Weight 0.6–6.3 kg1.3–13.9 lb active by night grassland

Sightings by month

Sylvilagus aquaticus - Sumpfkaninchen 193808230

Swamp Rabbit

Sylvilagus aquaticus

Rarely seen in Kansas 32 sightings
Size 40–55 cm15.7–21.7 in Weight 1.5–2.7 kg3.3–6 lb active day & night wetland

Sightings by month

Swift fox at a burrow entrance on the shortgrass prairie

Swift Fox

Vulpes velox

Rarely seen in Kansas 34 sightings
Size 38–53 cm15–20.9 in Weight 1.6–3 kg3.5–6.6 lb active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

AI-generated image: Texas Deermouse in three-quarter view standing on limestone rocks at night. No public-domain photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy

Texas Deermouse

Peromyscus attwateri

Occasional in Kansas 170 sightings
Size 10.5 cm4.1 in Weight 28 g1 oz active by night rocky outcrop

Sightings by month

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel crouched beside short grass

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel

Ictidomys tridecemlineatus

Occasional in Kansas 82 sightings
Size 17–30 cm6.7–11.8 in Weight 173 g6.1 oz active by day grassland

Sightings by month

Townsend's big-eared bat roosting on a cave wall

Townsend's Big-eared Bat

Corynorhinus townsendii

Rarely seen in Kansas 51 sightings
Size 5.8 cm2.3 in Weight 9–11 g0.3–0.4 oz active by night coastal

Sightings by month

Tricolored Bat hibernating on a limestone mine wall

Tricolored Bat

Perimyotis subflavus

Rarely seen in Kansas 11 sightings
Size 7.7–8.9 cm3–3.5 in Weight 5–8 g0.2–0.3 oz active by night cave

Sightings by month

Virginia Opossum clinging to a tree branch in a snowy winter woodland

Virginia Opossum

Didelphis virginiana

Common in Kansas 470 sightings
Size 40.8 cm16.1 in Weight 1.1–1.6 kg2.5–3.6 lb active by night river

Sightings by month

Western deer mouse sheltering in a rock crevice

Western Deer Mouse

Peromyscus sonoriensis

Size 12–20 cm4.7–7.9 in Weight 15–32 g0.5–1.1 oz active by night river

Sightings by month

Western harvest mouse moving through dry stems and gravel

Western Harvest Mouse

Reithrodontomys megalotis

Common in Kansas 2,249 sightings
Size 11.8–17 cm4.6–6.7 in Weight 11 g0.4 oz active by night wetland

Sightings by month

Little brown myotis roosting alertly on a wooden beam

Western Little Brown Myotis

Myotis lucifugus

Occasional in Kansas 69 sightings
Size 8–9.5 cm3.1–3.7 in Weight 6–13 g0.2–0.5 oz active by night cave

Sightings by month

Western small-footed myotis roosting on wood with its dark face mask visible

Western Small-footed Myotis

Myotis ciliolabrum

Rarely seen in Kansas 30 sightings
Size 8–10 cm3.1–3.9 in Weight 4–5 g0.1–0.2 oz active by night desert

Sightings by month

White-footed mouse on a fallen log in leaf litter

White-footed Mouse

Peromyscus leucopus

Common in Kansas 4,994 sightings
Size 10.1 cm4 in Weight 20–30 g0.7–1.1 oz active by night urban

Sightings by month

White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

Common in Kansas 1,523 sightings
Size 0.9–2.2 m3.1–7.2 ft Weight 68–136 kg149.9–299.8 lb active day & night mixed forest

Sightings by month

Adult wild boar foraging in grass

Wild Boar

Sus scrofa

Marginal occurrence · 4 records
Size 85–90 cm2.8–3 ft Weight 40–50 kg88.2–110.2 lb active day & night lake

Sightings by month

Microtus pinetorum - crlevy - 550023152

Woodland Vole

Microtus pinetorum

Common in Kansas 461 sightings
Size 10.3 cm4.1 in Weight 26 g0.9 oz active day & night woodland

Sightings by month

Yellow-faced pocket gopher looking out from a burrow entrance in dry grass

Yellow-faced Pocket Gopher

Cratogeomys castanops

Occasional in Kansas 127 sightings
Size 22.6 cm8.9 in Weight 266 g9.4 oz active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

Yuma myotis crouched on the ground at night

Yuma Myotis

Myotis yumanensis

Size 8.4–9.9 cm3.3–3.9 in Weight 6 g0.2 oz active by night coniferous forest