Mammals of Minnesota

63 established wild species in Minnesota. Plus 17 range-listed species with few or no digitized records.

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AmericanBadger

American Badger

Taxidea taxus

Occasional in Minnesota 58 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 Minnesota 2,380 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 Minnesota 966 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

Mustela Erminea head

American Ermine

Mustela erminea

Occasional in Minnesota 175 sightings
Size 17–33 cm6.7–13 in Weight 70–260 g2.5–9.2 oz active by night coniferous forest

Sightings by month

Marten in a tree

American marten

Martes americana

Common in Minnesota 308 sightings
Size 32–45 cm12.6–17.7 in Weight 0.5–1.4 kg1.1–3.1 lb active by night lake

Sightings by month

Norka amerykańska (neovison vison)

American Mink

Neogale vison

Common in Minnesota 645 sightings
Size 33–45.7 cm13–18 in Weight 0.5–1.4 kg1–3 lb active day & night lake

Sightings by month

American pygmy shrew crossing an asphalt path

American pygmy shrew

Sorex hoyi

Rarely seen in Minnesota 11 sightings
Size 5–7 cm2–2.8 in Weight 2–5 g0.1–0.2 oz active day & night deciduous forest

Sightings by month

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus James Gardens

American Red Squirrel

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

Common in Minnesota 4,320 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

Rarely seen in Minnesota 11 sightings
Size 8 cm3.1 in Weight 8–18 g0.3–0.6 oz active day & night river

Sightings by month

Sorex arcticus

Arctic shrew

Sorex arcticus

Rarely seen in Minnesota 3 sightings
Size 10–13 cm3.9–5.1 in Weight 5–11 g0.2–0.4 oz active by night boreal forest

Sightings by month

Big Brown Bats (Eptesicus fuscus)

Big Brown Bat

Eptesicus fuscus

Occasional in Minnesota 207 sightings
Size 7.5 cm3 in Weight 17 g0.6 oz active by night agricultural

Sightings by month

black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus)

Black-tailed Prairie Dog

Cynomys ludovicianus

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
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 Minnesota 207 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

Lynx Canadensis

Canada Lynx

Lynx canadensis

Occasional in Minnesota 148 sightings
Size 48–56 cm18.9–22 in Weight 5–17 kg11–37.5 lb active by night coniferous forest

Sightings by month

Common Raccoon in Hugh Taylor Birch State Park

Common Raccoon

Procyon lotor

Common in Minnesota 1,992 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 Minnesota 1,910 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

Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

Eastern Chipmunk

Tamias striatus

Common in Minnesota 3,334 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 Minnesota 4,638 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 Minnesota 7,417 sightings
Size 23–30 cm9.1–11.8 in Weight 400–710 g0.9–1.6 lb active by day wetland

Sightings by month

AI-generated image: Eastern Heather Vole on a northern coniferous forest floor among heather and moss. 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.

Eastern heather vole

Phenacomys ungava

Marginal occurrence · 5 records
Size 11–15 cm4.3–5.9 in Weight 20–45 g0.7–1.6 oz active by night boreal forest
Eastern Mole (Scalopus aquaticus)

Eastern Mole

Scalopus aquaticus

Occasional in Minnesota 153 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 Minnesota 32 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

Elk (Cervus canadensis)

Elk

Cervus canadensis

Marginal occurrence · 8 records
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

European rabbit feeding in dry vegetation

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Marginal occurrence · 3 records
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 · 1 record
Size 5 cm2 in Weight 7–15 g0.2–0.5 oz active by night agricultural
Martes Pennanti

Fisher

Pekania pennanti

Common in Minnesota 287 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

Occasional in Minnesota 258 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

Common in Minnesota 747 sightings
Size 36–41 cm14.2–16.1 in Weight 370 g13.1 oz active by day grassland

Sightings by month

Gray fox standing in dappled woodland

Gray Fox

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

Occasional in Minnesota 185 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

Common in Minnesota 508 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 Minnesota 968 sightings
Size 50.6 cm19.9 in Weight 3.4 kg7.5 lb active by day woodland

Sightings by month

House mouse in dry plant litter

House Mouse

Mus musculus

Occasional in Minnesota 80 sightings
Size 5–10 cm2–3.9 in Weight 12–30 g0.4–1.1 oz active by night agricultural

Sightings by month

Least Chipmunk in natural habitat

Least Chipmunk

Neotamias minimus

Occasional in Minnesota 149 sightings
Size 10–11 cm3.9–4.3 in Weight 41–47 g1.4–1.7 oz active by day shrubland

Sightings by month

Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis)

Least Weasel

Mustela nivalis

Rarely seen in Minnesota 4 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

Occasional in Minnesota 16 sightings
Size 24.8 cm9.8 in Weight 170 g6 oz active day & night wetland

Sightings by month

Sorex cinereus, Harwich, Chatham, Ontario, Canada 1

Masked Shrew

Sorex cinereus

Common in Minnesota 361 sightings
Size 6.9 cm2.7 in Weight 5 g0.2 oz active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

Cow moose standing in a marshy Alaska wetland

Moose

Alces alces

Common in Minnesota 629 sightings
Size 2.4–3.1 m7.9–10.2 ft Weight 200–490 kg440.9–1080.3 lb active day & night wetland

Sightings by month

Mountain Lion (Puma concolor)

Mountain Lion

Puma concolor

Marginal occurrence · 6 records
Size 1–1.5 m3.3–5.1 ft Weight 36–120 kg79.4–264.6 lb active day & night montane forest

Sightings by month

Muskrats resting on a floating log in open water

Muskrat

Ondatra zibethicus

Common in Minnesota 2,188 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

Common in Minnesota 591 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

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 5–8 cm2–3.1 in Weight 6 g0.2 oz active by night grassland
Erethizontidae Erethizon dorsatum 3.2

North American Porcupine

Erethizon dorsatus

Common in Minnesota 653 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 Minnesota 1,051 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

Illustration: northern bog lemmings (as Arvicola borealis) from John Woodhouse Audubon's 1845 Northern Meadow-Mouse plate

Northern Bog Lemming

Synaptomys borealis

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 13 cm5.1 in Weight 21 g0.7 oz active day & night wetland
Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus)

Northern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys sabrinus

Occasional in Minnesota 51 sightings
Size 25–37 cm9.8–14.6 in Weight 148 g5.2 oz active by night mixed conifer

Sightings by month

Northern grasshopper mouse walking beside desert grass

Northern Grasshopper Mouse

Onychomys leucogaster

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 12.7 cm5 in Weight 33 g1.2 oz active by night grassland
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 Minnesota 14 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 · 2 records
Size 8.6 cm3.4 in Weight 6 g0.2 oz active by night coniferous forest
Northern pocket gopher in low vegetation

Northern pocket gopher

Thomomys talpoides

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 22.9 cm9 in Weight 60–160 g2.1–5.6 oz active day & night river
Northern Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda)

Northern Short-tailed Shrew

Blarina brevicauda

Common in Minnesota 478 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

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

Sightings by month

Plains pocket gopher emerging from a burrow in reddish soil

Plains Pocket Gopher

Geomys bursarius

Occasional in Minnesota 262 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 Minnesota 61 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

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 35–55 cm13.8–21.7 in Weight 583 g1.3 lb active by night wetland
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

Occasional in Minnesota 211 sightings
Size 7–10 cm2.8–3.9 in Weight 3–6 g0.1–0.2 oz active by night prairie

Sightings by month

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

Occasional in Minnesota 90 sightings
Size 12.4 cm4.9 in Weight 47 g1.7 oz active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)

Red Fox

Vulpes vulpes

Common in Minnesota 1,594 sightings
Size 43 cm16.9 in Weight 5–10 kg11–22 lb active day & night desert

Sightings by month

Urocitellus richardsonii GNP 03

Richardson's Ground Squirrel

Urocitellus richardsonii

Occasional in Minnesota 55 sightings
Size 28–33 cm11–13 in Weight 250–610 g0.6–1.3 lb active by day prairie

Sightings by month

Microtus chrotorrhinus

Rock Vole

Microtus chrotorrhinus

Common in Minnesota 280 sightings
Size 11.5 cm4.5 in Weight 39 g1.4 oz active day & night coniferous forest

Sightings by month

Silver-haired bat tucked into loose bark

Silver-haired Bat

Lasionycteris noctivagans

Occasional in Minnesota 60 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 · 3 records
Size 7.4 cm2.9 in Weight 8 g0.3 oz active day & night river
Lepus americanus 5459 cropped

Snowshoe Hare

Lepus americanus

Common in Minnesota 1,023 sightings
Size 41–52 cm16.1–20.5 in Weight 1.4–1.6 kg3.2–3.4 lb active by night coniferous forest

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

Occasional in Minnesota 88 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 Minnesota 103 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

Common in Minnesota 268 sightings
Size 12–16.5 cm4.7–6.5 in Weight 6–42 g0.2–1.5 oz active by night mixed forest

Sightings by month

Star-nosed mole's fleshy 22-ray nose organ fanned out, close-up macro

Star-nosed mole

Condylura cristata

Occasional in Minnesota 113 sightings
Size 12.1 cm4.8 in Weight 52 g1.8 oz active day & night urban

Sightings by month

Mephitis mephitis in Dierenpark Zie-ZOO

Striped Skunk

Mephitis mephitis

Occasional in Minnesota 254 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

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel crouched beside short grass

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel

Ictidomys tridecemlineatus

Common in Minnesota 959 sightings
Size 17–30 cm6.7–11.8 in Weight 173 g6.1 oz active by day grassland

Sightings by month

Tricolored Bat hibernating on a limestone mine wall

Tricolored Bat

Perimyotis subflavus

Occasional in Minnesota 14 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 Minnesota 856 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 harvest mouse moving through dry stems and gravel

Western Harvest Mouse

Reithrodontomys megalotis

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 11.8–17 cm4.6–6.7 in Weight 11 g0.4 oz active by night wetland
Western heather vole tucked among moss and wet alpine leaves

Western Heather Vole

Phenacomys intermedius

Size 11.2 cm4.4 in Weight 40 g1.4 oz active day & night alpine
Little brown myotis roosting alertly on a wooden beam

Western Little Brown Myotis

Myotis lucifugus

Occasional in Minnesota 49 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 meadow vole Talkeetna alaska

Western Meadow Vole

Microtus drummondii

Occasional in Minnesota 197 sightings
Size 13–20 cm5.1–7.9 in Weight 39 g1.4 oz active day & night river

Sightings by month

AI-generated image: Western Pygmy Shrew in side profile on mossy forest floor. 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

Western Pygmy Shrew

Sorex eximius

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 5–7 cm2–2.8 in Weight 2–4 g0.1 oz active day & night montane conifer forest
White-footed mouse on a fallen log in leaf litter

White-footed Mouse

Peromyscus leucopus

Common in Minnesota 279 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 Minnesota 9,640 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

White-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii)

White-tailed Jackrabbit

Lepus townsendii

Occasional in Minnesota 46 sightings
Size 45–65 cm1.5–2.1 ft Weight 2.6–4.3 kg5.7–9.5 lb active by night grassland

Sightings by month

Adult wild boar foraging in grass

Wild Boar

Sus scrofa

Marginal occurrence · 2 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

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
Size 10.3 cm4.1 in Weight 26 g0.9 oz active day & night woodland