Mammals of North Dakota

59 established wild species in North Dakota. Plus 27 range-listed species with few or no digitized records.

All species A-Z →

AmericanBadger

American Badger

Taxidea taxus

Occasional in North Dakota 43 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 North Dakota 78 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

Common in North Dakota 1,657 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

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

American Black Bear

Ursus americanus

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 1.2–2 m3.9–6.6 ft Weight 40–250 kg88.2–551.2 lb active by night conifer forest
Mustela Erminea head

American Ermine

Mustela erminea

Occasional in North Dakota 17 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

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 32–45 cm12.6–17.7 in Weight 0.5–1.4 kg1.1–3.1 lb active by night lake
Norka amerykańska (neovison vison)

American Mink

Neogale vison

Occasional in North Dakota 37 sightings
Size 33–45.7 cm13–18 in Weight 0.5–1.4 kg1–3 lb active day & night lake

Sightings by month

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus James Gardens

American Red Squirrel

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

Common in North Dakota 118 sightings
Size 17–23 cm6.7–9.1 in Weight 140–310 g4.9–10.9 oz active by day wetland

Sightings by month

Sorex arcticus

Arctic shrew

Sorex arcticus

Common in North Dakota 60 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

Rarely seen in North Dakota 5 sightings
Size 7.5 cm3 in Weight 17 g0.6 oz active by night agricultural

Sightings by month

New Mexico Bighorn Sheep

Bighorn Sheep

Ovis canadensis

Occasional in North Dakota 55 sightings
Size 1.7 m5.5 ft Weight 58–143 kg127.9–315.3 lb active day & night desert

Sightings by month

Black-footed ferret checking out his new digs (30027077935)

Black-footed Ferret

Mustela nigripes

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
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 prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus)

Black-tailed Prairie Dog

Cynomys ludovicianus

Common in North Dakota 899 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 North Dakota 10 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

Bushy-tailed woodrat peering from forest floor cover at Oregon Caves

Bushy-tailed Woodrat

Neotoma cinerea

Marginal occurrence · 6 records
Size 22.7 cm8.9 in Weight 286 g10.1 oz active by night coniferous forest

Sightings by month

Lynx Canadensis

Canada Lynx

Lynx canadensis

Marginal occurrence · 7 records
Size 48–56 cm18.9–22 in Weight 5–17 kg11–37.5 lb active by night coniferous forest
Common Raccoon in Hugh Taylor Birch State Park

Common Raccoon

Procyon lotor

Common in North Dakota 62 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 North Dakota 201 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

Occasional in North Dakota 34 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 North Dakota 22 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 North Dakota 212 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 North Dakota 88 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 red bat roosting among green leaves, disguised as a dead leaf

Eastern Red Bat

Lasiurus borealis

Rarely seen in North Dakota 4 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

Occasional in North Dakota 46 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

European rabbit feeding in dry vegetation

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 34–50 cm13.4–19.7 in Weight 1–2.5 kg2.2–5.5 lb active by night grassland
Martes Pennanti

Fisher

Pekania pennanti

Marginal occurrence · 3 records
Size 75–95 cm2.5–3.1 ft Weight 3.5–6 kg7.7–13.2 lb active dawn & dusk wetland
Sciurus niger

Fox Squirrel

Sciurus niger

Common in North Dakota 182 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 North Dakota 49 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

Marginal occurrence · 4 records
Size 0.8–1.1 m2.5–3.7 ft Weight 3–9 kg6.6–19.8 lb active day & night brushy woodland
Silver-gray wolf walking along a gravel bank in Alaska

Gray Wolf

Canis lupus

Occasional in North Dakota 12 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 North Dakota 16 sightings
Size 50.6 cm19.9 in Weight 3.4 kg7.5 lb active by day woodland

Sightings by month

Hispid pocket mouse standing on pale rocky ground at night

Hispid Pocket Mouse

Chaetodipus hispidus

Occasional in North Dakota 33 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 North Dakota 52 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 North Dakota 40 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 North Dakota 3 sightings
Size 26 cm10.2 in Weight 50 g1.8 oz active by night grassland

Sightings by month

Long-eared myotis peering over weathered wood

Long-eared Myotis

Myotis evotis

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
Size 8.7–10 cm3.4–3.9 in Weight 7 g0.2 oz active by night shrubland
Long-legged myotis roosting on tree bark with wings folded

Long-legged Myotis

Myotis volans

Occasional in North Dakota 17 sightings
Size 8.3–10.6 cm3.3–4.2 in Weight 6–10 g0.2–0.4 oz active by night urban

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 North Dakota 20 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 North Dakota 120 sightings
Size 6.9 cm2.7 in Weight 5 g0.2 oz active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

AI-generated image: Merriam's Shrew in side profile on dry soil among 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

Merriam's Shrew

Sorex merriami

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 6.2 cm2.4 in Weight 5 g0.2 oz active day & night desert
Cow moose standing in a marshy Alaska wetland

Moose

Alces alces

Common in North Dakota 110 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 cottontail in dry western woodland edge

Mountain Cottontail

Sylvilagus nuttallii

Marginal occurrence · 10 records
Size 27.9–38.1 cm11–15 in Weight 0.6–1.1 kg1.3–2.4 lb active day & night coniferous forest

Sightings by month

Mountain Lion (Puma concolor)

Mountain Lion

Puma concolor

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 1–1.5 m3.3–5.1 ft Weight 36–120 kg79.4–264.6 lb active day & night montane forest
Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)

Mule Deer

Odocoileus hemionus

Common in North Dakota 314 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 North Dakota 125 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 North Dakota 6,543 sightings
Size 8–10 cm3.1–3.9 in Weight 21 g0.7 oz active by night river

Sightings by month

Erethizontidae Erethizon dorsatum 3.2

North American Porcupine

Erethizon dorsatus

Common in North Dakota 80 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

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
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 Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus)

Northern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys sabrinus

Rarely seen in North Dakota 3 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

Common in North Dakota 100 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

Marginal occurrence · 7 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
Northern pocket gopher in low vegetation

Northern pocket gopher

Thomomys talpoides

Occasional in North Dakota 7 sightings
Size 22.9 cm9 in Weight 60–160 g2.1–5.6 oz active day & night river

Sightings by month

Northern Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda)

Northern Short-tailed Shrew

Blarina brevicauda

Occasional in North Dakota 10 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

Marginal occurrence · 9 records
Size 15–28 cm5.9–11 in Weight 140–500 g0.3–1.1 lb active by night urban
Olive-backed pocket mouse in grass and dry litter at night

Olive-backed Pocket Mouse

Perognathus fasciatus

Common in North Dakota 99 sightings
Size 8 cm3.1 in Weight 11–14 g0.4–0.5 oz active by night grassland

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

Marginal occurrence · 9 records
Size 21–36.5 cm8.3–14.4 in Weight 50 g1.8 oz active by night great basin desert
Plains harvest mouse close-up among dry grass stems and twigs

Plains Harvest Mouse

Reithrodontomys montanus

Marginal occurrence · 3 records
Size 7.6 cm3 in Weight 10 g0.4 oz active by night grassland
Plains pocket gopher emerging from a burrow in reddish soil

Plains Pocket Gopher

Geomys bursarius

Rarely seen in North Dakota 6 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

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
Size 6.9 cm2.7 in Weight 9 g0.3 oz active by night desert
Plains spotted skunk walking through rocky leaf litter in Texas

Plains Spotted Skunk

Spilogale interrupta

Marginal occurrence · 5 records
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

Common in North Dakota 133 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 North Dakota 31 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

Common in North Dakota 282 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

Occasional in North Dakota 54 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

Common in North Dakota 132 sightings
Size 28–33 cm11–13 in Weight 250–610 g0.6–1.3 lb active by day prairie

Sightings by month

Sagebrush vole partly hidden in low shrub cover

Sagebrush Vole

Lemmiscus curtatus

Marginal occurrence · 5 records
Size 11–14 cm4.3–5.5 in Weight 28 g1 oz active day & night shrubland
Silver-haired bat tucked into loose bark

Silver-haired Bat

Lasionycteris noctivagans

Rarely seen in North Dakota 6 sightings
Size 9.5–11.5 cm3.7–4.5 in Weight 11 g0.4 oz active by night river

Sightings by month

Lepus americanus 5459 cropped

Snowshoe Hare

Lepus americanus

Occasional in North Dakota 36 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

Southern red-backed vole feeding among sunflower seeds on snow

Southern Red-backed Vole

Clethrionomys gapperi

Common in North Dakota 205 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

Live western jumping mouse crouched in leaf litter with its long tail curving behind

Southwestern Jumping Mouse

Zapus princeps

Common in North Dakota 254 sightings
Size 22–25 cm8.7–9.8 in Weight 28 g1 oz active by night montane forest

Sightings by month

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

Star-nosed mole

Condylura cristata

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 12.1 cm4.8 in Weight 52 g1.8 oz active day & night urban
Mephitis mephitis in Dierenpark Zie-ZOO

Striped Skunk

Mephitis mephitis

Occasional in North Dakota 31 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

Swift fox at a burrow entrance on the shortgrass prairie

Swift Fox

Vulpes velox

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
Size 38–53 cm15–20.9 in Weight 1.6–3 kg3.5–6.6 lb active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel crouched beside short grass

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel

Ictidomys tridecemlineatus

Common in North Dakota 855 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

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 5.8 cm2.3 in Weight 9–11 g0.3–0.4 oz active by night coastal
Virginia Opossum clinging to a tree branch in a snowy winter woodland

Virginia Opossum

Didelphis virginiana

Marginal occurrence · 3 records
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

Occasional in North Dakota 51 sightings
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 North Dakota 518 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

Rarely seen in North Dakota 3 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

Common in North Dakota 2,906 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
Western small-footed myotis roosting on wood with its dark face mask visible

Western Small-footed Myotis

Myotis ciliolabrum

Marginal occurrence · 7 records
Size 8–10 cm3.1–3.9 in Weight 4–5 g0.1–0.2 oz active by night desert
White-footed mouse on a fallen log in leaf litter

White-footed Mouse

Peromyscus leucopus

Common in North Dakota 746 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 North Dakota 342 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

Common in North Dakota 123 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