Mammals of Mississippi

48 established wild species in Mississippi. Plus 21 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 · 6 records
Size 32 cm12.6 in Weight 583 g1.3 lb active by night forest edge
Beaver swimming low in murky green pond water with only its wet head and back above the surface

American Beaver

Castor canadensis

Common in Mississippi 132 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

Occasional in Mississippi 13 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

Occasional in Mississippi 8 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

Common in Mississippi 88 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

Occasional in Mississippi 26 sightings
Size 16–24 cm6.3–9.4 in Weight 75–230 g2.6–8.1 oz active by night agricultural

Sightings by month

Bobcat (Lynx rufus)

Bobcat

Lynx rufus

Common in Mississippi 115 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

Spotted deer (Axis axis) female

Chital

Axis axis

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 0.9–1 m3–3.3 ft Weight 70–90 kg154.3–198.4 lb active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)

Common Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

Common in Mississippi 137 sightings
Size 2–4 m6.6–13.1 ft Weight 150–650 kg330.7–1433 lb active by day coastal

Sightings by month

Common Raccoon in Hugh Taylor Birch State Park

Common Raccoon

Procyon lotor

Common in Mississippi 650 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

Hisbid Cotton Mouse Mission TX 2018-03-12 08-18-23 (27112942988)

Cotton Mouse

Peromyscus gossypinus

Occasional in Mississippi 26 sightings
Size 10.3 cm4.1 in Weight 34–51 g1.2–1.8 oz active by night woodland

Sightings by month

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

Coyote

Canis latrans

Common in Mississippi 191 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

Common in Mississippi 151 sightings
Size 40–60 cm15.7–23.6 in Weight 4–10 kg8.8–22 lb active by night river

Sightings by month

Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

Eastern Chipmunk

Tamias striatus

Common in Mississippi 101 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 Mississippi 246 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 Mississippi 1,347 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

Occasional in Mississippi 59 sightings
Size 7.1 cm2.8 in Weight 9 g0.3 oz active by night grassland

Sightings by month

Eastern Mole (Scalopus aquaticus)

Eastern Mole

Scalopus aquaticus

Occasional in Mississippi 57 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 Mississippi 110 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

Occasional in Mississippi 32 sightings
Size 21.4 cm8.4 in Weight 208 g7.3 oz active by night coastal

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

Sightings by month

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

Evening Bat

Nycticeius humeralis

Common in Mississippi 88 sightings
Size 5 cm2 in Weight 7–15 g0.2–0.5 oz active by night agricultural

Sightings by month

Fin whale from air

Fin Whale

Balaenoptera physalus

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 17–22 m55.8–72.2 ft Weight 40000–80000 kg88185–176370 lb active by day coastal
Sciurus niger

Fox Squirrel

Sciurus niger

Common in Mississippi 264 sightings
Size 25.4–38.1 cm10–15 in Weight 804 g1.8 lb active by day river

Sightings by month

Fulvous harvest mouse climbing through dry seed heads at night

Fulvous harvest mouse

Reithrodontomys fulvescens

Occasional in Mississippi 39 sightings
Size 8.1 cm3.2 in Weight 13 g0.5 oz active by night desert

Sightings by month

Golden Mouse (Ochrotomys nuttalli)

Golden Mouse

Ochrotomys nuttalli

Occasional in Mississippi 24 sightings
Size 9.7 cm3.8 in Weight 22 g0.8 oz active dawn & dusk woodland

Sightings by month

Myotis grisescens colony

Gray Bat

Myotis grisescens

Marginal occurrence · 5 records
Size 7.5–10.1 cm3–4 in Weight 10 g0.4 oz active by night cave
Gray fox standing in dappled woodland

Gray Fox

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

Common in Mississippi 92 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 Mississippi 26 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

Occasional in Mississippi 47 sightings
Size 50.6 cm19.9 in Weight 3.4 kg7.5 lb active by day woodland

Sightings by month

Hispid cotton rat moving through short green grass

Hispid cotton rat

Sigmodon hispidus

Common in Mississippi 104 sightings
Size 18.5 cm7.3 in Weight 160 g5.6 oz active day & night river

Sightings by month

House mouse in dry plant litter

House Mouse

Mus musculus

Occasional in Mississippi 14 sightings
Size 5–10 cm2–3.9 in Weight 12–30 g0.4–1.1 oz active by night agricultural

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
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 Mississippi 7 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 Mississippi 36 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

Muskrats resting on a floating log in open water

Muskrat

Ondatra zibethicus

Occasional in Mississippi 18 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 Mississippi 420 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

Marginal occurrence · 5 records
Size 8–10 cm3.1–3.9 in Weight 21 g0.7 oz active by night river
North American least shrew moving through short grass

North American Least Shrew

Cryptotis parvus

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

Sightings by month

River Otter (Lontra canadensis)

North American River Otter

Lontra canadensis

Common in Mississippi 134 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

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
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

Marginal occurrence · 30 records
Size 14.2 cm5.6 in Weight 50 g1.8 oz active day & night wetland
Hoary bat in flight against blue sky, wings spread to show its yellow throat patch and heavily frosted fur

Northern Hoary Bat

Lasiurus cinereus

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
Size 13–15 cm5.1–5.9 in Weight 26 g0.9 oz active by night cave
Northern myotis hanging head-down from a rock ceiling, long ears and tan fur visible

Northern Myotis

Myotis septentrionalis

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 8.6 cm3.4 in Weight 6 g0.2 oz active by night coniferous forest
AI-generated image: northern yellow bat hanging head-down among dead palm fronds. 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

Northern Yellow Bat

Lasiurus intermedius

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
Size 8.9 cm3.5 in Weight 20 g0.7 oz active by night coastal
Northwestern marsh rice rat on a bare soil bank, unrestrained

Northwestern Marsh Rice Rat

Oryzomys texensis

Rarely seen in Mississippi 3 sightings
Size 22.6–30.5 cm8.9–12 in Weight 40–80 g1.4–2.8 oz active by night wetland

Sightings by month

Live Norway rat beside shallow water

Norway Rat

Rattus norvegicus

Marginal occurrence · 8 records
Size 15–28 cm5.9–11 in Weight 140–500 g0.3–1.1 lb active by night urban
Peromyscus polionotus oldfield mouse

Oldfield Mouse

Peromyscus polionotus

Marginal occurrence · 3 records
Size 9.7 cm3.8 in Weight 14 g0.5 oz active by night coastal
Orques pygmées (Feresa attenuata) (Ifremer 00574-68627 - 46051)

Pygmy Killer Whale

Feresa attenuata

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 2.7 m8.9 ft Weight 151.5 kg334 lb active day & night coastal
Rafinesques big-eared bat (5494435840)

Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat

Corynorhinus rafinesquii

Occasional in Mississippi 44 sightings
Size 10.5 cm4.1 in Weight 9–11 g0.3–0.4 oz active by night cave

Sightings by month

Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)

Red Fox

Vulpes vulpes

Common in Mississippi 90 sightings
Size 43 cm16.9 in Weight 5–10 kg11–22 lb active day & night desert

Sightings by month

Rice's whale close to surface

Rice's whale

Balaenoptera ricei

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 12.7 m41.5 ft Weight 27200 kg59965.8 lb coastal
Seminole bat resting on leaf litter at night with wings partly folded

Seminole Bat

Lasiurus seminolus

Occasional in Mississippi 48 sightings
Size 10.8–11.4 cm4.3–4.5 in Weight 13 g0.5 oz active by night coastal

Sightings by month

Short-finned Pilot Whale off Tenerife

Short-finned Pilot Whale

Globicephala macrorhynchus

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 6.1 m20 ft Weight 726 kg1600.6 lb active by night coastal
Silver-haired bat tucked into loose bark

Silver-haired Bat

Lasionycteris noctivagans

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 9.5–11.5 cm3.7–4.5 in Weight 11 g0.4 oz active by night river
Southeastern Myotis (Myotis austroriparius)

Southeastern Myotis

Myotis austroriparius

Occasional in Mississippi 82 sightings
Size 7.7–8.9 cm3–3.5 in Weight 6–7 g0.2 oz active by night coastal

Sightings by month

Southern Flying Squirrel-27527-1

Southern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys volans

Common in Mississippi 91 sightings
Size 17.1 cm6.7 in Weight 65 g2.3 oz active by night deciduous forest

Sightings by month

Southern short-tailed shrew walking through moss and leaf litter beside green plant shoots

Southern Short-tailed Shrew

Blarina carolinensis

Occasional in Mississippi 82 sightings
Size 10.2 cm4 in Weight 20 g0.7 oz active day & night agricultural

Sightings by month

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
Mephitis mephitis in Dierenpark Zie-ZOO

Striped Skunk

Mephitis mephitis

Common in Mississippi 106 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

Common in Mississippi 177 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

Tricolored Bat hibernating on a limestone mine wall

Tricolored Bat

Perimyotis subflavus

Common in Mississippi 135 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 Mississippi 487 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

Marginal occurrence · 6 records
Size 4 m13.1 ft Weight 387.5 kg854.3 lb active day & night coastal
Little brown myotis roosting alertly on a wooden beam

Western Little Brown Myotis

Myotis lucifugus

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 8–9.5 cm3.1–3.7 in Weight 6–13 g0.2–0.5 oz active by night cave
White-footed mouse on a fallen log in leaf litter

White-footed Mouse

Peromyscus leucopus

Occasional in Mississippi 9 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 Mississippi 1,030 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

Common in Mississippi 173 sightings
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

Occasional in Mississippi 15 sightings
Size 10.3 cm4.1 in Weight 26 g0.9 oz active day & night woodland

Sightings by month