Mammals of Maryland

53 established wild species in Maryland. Plus 34 range-listed species with few or no digitized records.

All species A-Z →

Alleghanian spotted skunk foraging among rocks and pine needles in daylight

Alleghanian Spotted Skunk

Spilogale putorius

Marginal occurrence · 3 records
Size 32 cm12.6 in Weight 583 g1.3 lb active by night forest edge
Neotoma magister

Allegheny Woodrat

Neotoma magister

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 31–45 cm12.2–17.7 in Weight 357 g12.6 oz active by night rocky outcrop
Beaver swimming low in murky green pond water with only its wet head and back above the surface

American Beaver

Castor canadensis

Common in Maryland 1,841 sightings
Size 60–90 cm2–3 ft Weight 11–32 kg24.3–70.5 lb active day & night river

Sightings by month

Oso negro (Ursus americanus), Parque natural provincial Tatshenshini-Alsek, Yukón, Canadá, 2017-08-25, DD 85

American Black Bear

Ursus americanus

Common in Maryland 193 sightings
Size 1.2–2 m3.9–6.6 ft Weight 40–250 kg88.2–551.2 lb active by night conifer forest

Sightings by month

Norka amerykańska (neovison vison)

American Mink

Neogale vison

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 33–45.7 cm13–18 in Weight 0.5–1.4 kg1–3 lb active day & night lake
American pygmy shrew crossing an asphalt path

American pygmy shrew

Sorex hoyi

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 5–7 cm2–2.8 in Weight 2–5 g0.1–0.2 oz active day & night deciduous forest
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus James Gardens

American Red Squirrel

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

Common in Maryland 144 sightings
Size 17–23 cm6.7–9.1 in Weight 140–310 g4.9–10.9 oz active by day wetland

Sightings by month

American water shrew swimming at the surface of a stream, seen from above

American water shrew

Sorex palustris

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 8 cm3.1 in Weight 8–18 g0.3–0.6 oz active day & night river
Appalachian Cottontail (Sylvilagus obscurus)

Appalachian Cottontail

Sylvilagus obscurus

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
Size 38.1–43.2 cm15–17 in Weight 0.8–1.2 kg1.7–2.5 lb active by day river

Sightings by month

Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) NOAA

Atlantic spotted dolphin

Stenella frontalis

Occasional in Maryland 14 sightings
Size 2.8 m9.2 ft Weight 100 kg220.5 lb active day & night river

Sightings by month

Atlantic white-sided dolphin leaping clear of the water at Stellwagen Bank, showing the yellow blaze on its tail stock

Atlantic White-sided Dolphin

Leucopleurus acutus

Marginal occurrence · 4 records
Size 2.1–2.8 m6.9–9.2 ft Weight 180–230 g6.3–8.1 oz active day & night continental shelf
Big Brown Bats (Eptesicus fuscus)

Big Brown Bat

Eptesicus fuscus

Common in Maryland 174 sightings
Size 7.5 cm3 in Weight 17 g0.6 oz active by night agricultural

Sightings by month

Live black rat climbing through branches

Black Rat

Rattus rattus

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 16–24 cm6.3–9.4 in Weight 75–230 g2.6–8.1 oz active by night agricultural
Live blue whale surfacing with a tall bushy blow spray rising from its blowhole in sunlit open ocean

Blue Whale

Balaenoptera musculus

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 21–30.5 m68.9–100.1 ft Weight 70000–200000 kg154323.7–440924.9 lb active by day estuary
Bobcat (Lynx rufus)

Bobcat

Lynx rufus

Occasional in Maryland 20 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

Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)

Common Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

Common in Maryland 148 sightings
Size 2–4 m6.6–13.1 ft Weight 150–650 kg330.7–1433 lb active by day coastal

Sightings by month

Small group of common dolphins surfacing in choppy water, pale hourglass flank patch visible

Common Dolphin

Delphinus delphis

Occasional in Maryland 14 sightings
Size 1.6–2.6 m5.2–8.5 ft Weight 70–110 kg154.3–242.5 lb active by night coastal

Sightings by month

Common Raccoon in Hugh Taylor Birch State Park

Common Raccoon

Procyon lotor

Common in Maryland 3,058 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 Maryland 364 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

Coypus

Coypu

Myocastor coypus

Occasional in Maryland 15 sightings
Size 40–60 cm15.7–23.6 in Weight 4–10 kg8.8–22 lb active by night river

Sightings by month

Ziphius cavirostris Mar Ligure

Cuvier's beaked whale

Ziphius cavirostris

Marginal occurrence · 3 records
Size 5–7 m16.4–23 ft Weight 2000–3500 kg4409.2–7716.2 lb active day & night coastal
Dwarf sperm whale logging at the ocean surface

Dwarf Sperm Whale

Kogia sima

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 2.1–2.7 m6.9–8.9 ft Weight 136–270 kg299.8–595.2 lb active day & night coastal
Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

Eastern Chipmunk

Tamias striatus

Common in Maryland 1,326 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 Maryland 4,558 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 Maryland 9,545 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 harvest mouse moving through grass and herb stems

Eastern Harvest Mouse

Reithrodontomys humulis

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 7.1 cm2.8 in Weight 9 g0.3 oz active by night grassland
Eastern Mole (Scalopus aquaticus)

Eastern Mole

Scalopus aquaticus

Common in Maryland 170 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

Common in Maryland 203 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 small-footed myotis clinging to a weathered wooden post in daylight, unhandled and alert

Eastern Small-footed Myotis

Myotis leibii

Marginal occurrence · 3 records
Size 7.5–8.5 cm3–3.3 in Weight 5 g0.2 oz active by night cave
European rabbit feeding in dry vegetation

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Occasional in Maryland 10 sightings
Size 34–50 cm13.4–19.7 in Weight 1–2.5 kg2.2–5.5 lb active by night grassland

Sightings by month

Evening bat resting, brown fur and dark ears and wings visible, not restrained

Evening Bat

Nycticeius humeralis

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
Size 5 cm2 in Weight 7–15 g0.2–0.5 oz active by night agricultural
Fin whale from air

Fin Whale

Balaenoptera physalus

Occasional in Maryland 10 sightings
Size 17–22 m55.8–72.2 ft Weight 40000–80000 kg88185–176370 lb active by day coastal

Sightings by month

Martes Pennanti

Fisher

Pekania pennanti

Occasional in Maryland 18 sightings
Size 75–95 cm2.5–3.1 ft Weight 3.5–6 kg7.7–13.2 lb active dawn & dusk wetland

Sightings by month

Sciurus niger

Fox Squirrel

Sciurus niger

Common in Maryland 370 sightings
Size 25.4–38.1 cm10–15 in Weight 804 g1.8 lb active by day river

Sightings by month

Gervais' beaked whale (Mesoplodon europaeus)

Gervais' beaked whale

Mesoplodon europaeus

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
Size 6.7 m22 ft Weight 948–1090 kg2090–2403 lb active day & night urban
Gray fox standing in dappled woodland

Gray Fox

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

Occasional in Maryland 35 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 Maryland 16 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 Maryland 1,973 sightings
Size 50.6 cm19.9 in Weight 3.4 kg7.5 lb active by day woodland

Sightings by month

Common seal (Phoca vitulina) 2

Harbor Seal

Phoca vitulina

Occasional in Maryland 29 sightings
Size 1.4–1.9 m4.6–6.2 ft Weight 55–170 kg121.3–374.8 lb active by day coastal

Sightings by month

Phocoena phocoena.2

Harbour Porpoise

Phocoena phocoena

Occasional in Maryland 38 sightings
Size 1.4–1.9 m4.6–6.2 ft Weight 45–70 kg99.2–154.3 lb active by night coastal

Sightings by month

House mouse in dry plant litter

House Mouse

Mus musculus

Common in Maryland 231 sightings
Size 5–10 cm2–3.9 in Weight 12–30 g0.4–1.1 oz active by night agricultural

Sightings by month

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) with calf Moorea 2

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

Marginal occurrence · 9 records
Size 12–17 m39.4–55.8 ft Weight 25000–40000 kg55115.6–88185 lb active by day marine

Sightings by month

Indiana bats roosting in a dense cluster on a cave ceiling with several individuals in flight below

Indiana bat

Myotis sodalis

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 5.5 cm2.2 in Weight 5–10 g0.2–0.4 oz active by night agricultural
Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis)

Least Weasel

Mustela nivalis

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
Size 26 cm10.2 in Weight 50 g1.8 oz active by night grassland
Long-finned pilot whale spyhopping at the surface, showing its bulbous forehead

Long-finned Pilot Whale

Globicephala melas

Occasional in Maryland 15 sightings
Size 7.1 m23.3 ft Weight 1060 kg2336.9 lb active by night urban

Sightings by month

AI-generated image: Long-tailed Shrew in side profile on moss-covered wet rocks. 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

Long-tailed Shrew

Sorex dispar

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 6.6 cm2.6 in Weight 3–8 g0.1–0.3 oz active day & night river
Long-tailed weasel standing alert in grass with its black-tipped tail curled behind it, Sonoma County, California

Long-tailed Weasel

Neogale frenata

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 24.8 cm9.8 in Weight 170 g6 oz active day & night wetland
Sorex cinereus, Harwich, Chatham, Ontario, Canada 1

Masked Shrew

Sorex cinereus

Common in Maryland 63 sightings
Size 6.9 cm2.7 in Weight 5 g0.2 oz active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

Peponocephala electra Mayotte

Melon-headed Whale

Peponocephala electra

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 2.8 m9.2 ft Weight 206 kg454.2 lb active day & night coastal
Common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata). Teriberka

Minke Whale

Balaenoptera acutorostrata

Marginal occurrence · 4 records
Size 7–10 m23–32.8 ft Weight 5000–10000 kg11023.1–22046.2 lb active by day wetland
Muskrats resting on a floating log in open water

Muskrat

Ondatra zibethicus

Common in Maryland 756 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

Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) (9310532204)

North American Deermouse

Peromyscus maniculatus

Occasional in Maryland 29 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

Common in Maryland 147 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

Common in Maryland 65 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

Common in Maryland 500 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

Live North Atlantic right whale head at the surface, rough pale callosity patches visible on the rostrum

North Atlantic right whale

Eubalaena glacialis

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
Size 17.6 m57.8 ft Weight 23000 kg50706.4 lb active day & night coastal
Live northeastern marsh rice rat peering out from dense dry grass and green shoots

Northeastern Marsh Rice Rat

Oryzomys palustris

Common in Maryland 72 sightings
Size 14.2 cm5.6 in Weight 50 g1.8 oz active day & night wetland

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

Occasional in Maryland 11 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

Marginal occurrence · 4 records
Size 8.6 cm3.4 in Weight 6 g0.2 oz active by night coniferous forest
Northern Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda)

Northern Short-tailed Shrew

Blarina brevicauda

Common in Maryland 1,001 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

Common in Maryland 155 sightings
Size 15–28 cm5.9–11 in Weight 140–500 g0.3–1.1 lb active by night urban

Sightings by month

Killer Whales Hunting a Seal

Orca

Orcinus orca

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 5–9.8 m16.4–32.2 ft Weight 2600–10000 kg5732–22046.2 lb active day & night coastal
Live pygmy sperm whales logging at the sea surface, backs and dorsal fins exposed

Pygmy Sperm Whale

Kogia breviceps

Occasional in Maryland 24 sightings
Size 2.7–4 m8.9–13.1 ft Weight 320–450 kg705.5–992.1 lb active day & night urban

Sightings by month

Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)

Red Fox

Vulpes vulpes

Common in Maryland 5,011 sightings
Size 43 cm16.9 in Weight 5–10 kg11–22 lb active day & night desert

Sightings by month

Risso s Dolphin (Grampus griseus) Catalina (3)

Risso's Dolphin

Grampus griseus

Occasional in Maryland 34 sightings
Size 2.6–4 m8.5–13.1 ft Weight 342.5–460 kg755.1–1014.1 lb active by night coastal

Sightings by month

Microtus chrotorrhinus

Rock Vole

Microtus chrotorrhinus

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 11.5 cm4.5 in Weight 39 g1.4 oz active day & night coniferous forest
Sei whale surfacing in deep blue ocean water, small curved dorsal fin visible with a splash at the blowhole

Sei Whale

Balaenoptera borealis

Marginal occurrence · 4 records
Size 12–20 m39.4–65.6 ft Weight 14000–30000 kg30864.7–66138.7 lb active by day urban
Short-finned Pilot Whale off Tenerife

Short-finned Pilot Whale

Globicephala macrorhynchus

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
Size 6.1 m20 ft Weight 726 kg1600.6 lb active by night coastal
Sika Deer (Cervus nippon)

Sika Deer

Cervus nippon

Common in Maryland 400 sightings
Size 1.1–1.7 m3.6–5.6 ft Weight 30–90 kg66.1–198.4 lb active by night urban

Sightings by month

Silver-haired bat tucked into loose bark

Silver-haired Bat

Lasionycteris noctivagans

Occasional in Maryland 36 sightings
Size 9.5–11.5 cm3.7–4.5 in Weight 11 g0.4 oz active by night river

Sightings by month

Smoky shrew moving through dense green grass

Smoky Shrew

Sorex fumeus

Marginal occurrence · 7 records
Size 7.4 cm2.9 in Weight 8 g0.3 oz active day & night river
Lepus americanus 5459 cropped

Snowshoe Hare

Lepus americanus

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
Size 41–52 cm16.1–20.5 in Weight 1.4–1.6 kg3.2–3.4 lb active by night coniferous forest
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

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 11.8 cm4.6 in Weight 35 g1.2 oz active day & night mixed conifer
Southern Flying Squirrel-27527-1

Southern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys volans

Common in Maryland 165 sightings
Size 17.1 cm6.7 in Weight 65 g2.3 oz active by night deciduous forest

Sightings by month

Southern red-backed vole feeding among sunflower seeds on snow

Southern Red-backed Vole

Clethrionomys gapperi

Marginal occurrence · 8 records
Size 12–16.5 cm4.7–6.5 in Weight 6–42 g0.2–1.5 oz active by night mixed forest
Sperm whale pod recolored

Sperm Whale

Physeter macrocephalus

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 10.7–11 m35–36 ft Weight 13500–57000 kg29762.4–125663.6 lb active day & night urban
Star-nosed mole's fleshy 22-ray nose organ fanned out, close-up macro

Star-nosed mole

Condylura cristata

Occasional in Maryland 13 sightings
Size 12.1 cm4.8 in Weight 52 g1.8 oz active day & night urban

Sightings by month

Small group of striped dolphins swimming at the surface in open blue ocean

Striped Dolphin

Stenella coeruleoalba

Occasional in Maryland 42 sightings
Size 1.8–2.6 m5.9–8.5 ft Weight 100–160 kg220.5–352.7 lb active day & night urban

Sightings by month

Mephitis mephitis in Dierenpark Zie-ZOO

Striped Skunk

Mephitis mephitis

Common in Maryland 171 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

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

Townsend's Big-eared Bat

Corynorhinus townsendii

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 5.8 cm2.3 in Weight 9–11 g0.3–0.4 oz active by night coastal
Tricolored Bat hibernating on a limestone mine wall

Tricolored Bat

Perimyotis subflavus

Occasional in Maryland 39 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 Maryland 1,098 sightings
Size 40.8 cm16.1 in Weight 1.1–1.6 kg2.5–3.6 lb active by night river

Sightings by month

Manatee with calf.PD - colour corrected

West Indian Manatee

Trichechus manatus

Occasional in Maryland 14 sightings
Size 4 m13.1 ft Weight 387.5 kg854.3 lb active day & night coastal

Sightings by month

Little brown myotis roosting alertly on a wooden beam

Western Little Brown Myotis

Myotis lucifugus

Occasional in Maryland 32 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

White-footed mouse on a fallen log in leaf litter

White-footed Mouse

Peromyscus leucopus

Common in Maryland 2,941 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 Maryland 12,251 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

Microtus pinetorum - crlevy - 550023152

Woodland Vole

Microtus pinetorum

Common in Maryland 89 sightings
Size 10.3 cm4.1 in Weight 26 g0.9 oz active day & night woodland

Sightings by month