Mammals of Wisconsin

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

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AmericanBadger

American Badger

Taxidea taxus

Occasional in Wisconsin 81 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 Wisconsin 758 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 Wisconsin 507 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 Wisconsin 80 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

Rarely seen in Wisconsin 7 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 Wisconsin 437 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

Occasional in Wisconsin 49 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 Wisconsin 1,961 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 Wisconsin 23 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 Wisconsin 6 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 Wisconsin 152 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

Occasional in Wisconsin 25 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

Common in Wisconsin 196 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 Raccoon in Hugh Taylor Birch State Park

Common Raccoon

Procyon lotor

Common in Wisconsin 1,751 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 Wisconsin 1,749 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 Wisconsin 3,323 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 Wisconsin 3,845 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 Wisconsin 6,200 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 Wisconsin 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

Occasional in Wisconsin 46 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 Wisconsin 84 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

Fallow deer in field

European Fallow Deer

Dama dama

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 1.3–1.8 m4.3–5.9 ft Weight 30–100 kg66.1–220.5 lb active day & night mixed forest
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

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 5 cm2 in Weight 7–15 g0.2–0.5 oz active by night agricultural
Martes Pennanti

Fisher

Pekania pennanti

Occasional in Wisconsin 83 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 Wisconsin 209 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

Rarely seen in Wisconsin 3 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 Wisconsin 68 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 Wisconsin 179 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 Wisconsin 1,053 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 Wisconsin 30 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

Rarely seen in Wisconsin 14 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 Wisconsin 14 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 Wisconsin 13 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 Wisconsin 414 sightings
Size 6.9 cm2.7 in Weight 5 g0.2 oz active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

Meriones unguiculatus (wild)

Mongolian gerbil

Meriones unguiculatus

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 10–13 cm3.9–5.1 in Weight 50–130 g1.8–4.6 oz grassland
Muskrats resting on a floating log in open water

Muskrat

Ondatra zibethicus

Common in Wisconsin 1,663 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 Wisconsin 5,972 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 Wisconsin 544 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 Wisconsin 262 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 Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus)

Northern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys sabrinus

Occasional in Wisconsin 74 sightings
Size 25–37 cm9.8–14.6 in Weight 148 g5.2 oz active by night mixed conifer

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 · 23 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

Occasional in Wisconsin 42 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

Common in Wisconsin 347 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 Wisconsin 42 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

Rarely seen in Wisconsin 20 sightings
Size 25–35 cm9.8–13.8 in Weight 187 g6.6 oz active day & night grassland

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 Wisconsin 28 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 Wisconsin 1,627 sightings
Size 43 cm16.9 in Weight 5–10 kg11–22 lb active day & night desert

Sightings by month

Silver-haired bat tucked into loose bark

Silver-haired Bat

Lasionycteris noctivagans

Occasional in Wisconsin 48 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 Wisconsin 40 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 Wisconsin 55 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 Wisconsin 91 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 Wisconsin 572 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 Wisconsin 50 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

Common in Wisconsin 207 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 Wisconsin 938 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

Rarely seen in Wisconsin 9 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 Wisconsin 820 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

Rarely seen in Wisconsin 9 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 Wisconsin 30 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 Wisconsin 192 sightings
Size 13–20 cm5.1–7.9 in Weight 39 g1.4 oz active day & night river

Sightings by month

White-footed mouse on a fallen log in leaf litter

White-footed Mouse

Peromyscus leucopus

Common in Wisconsin 5,935 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 Wisconsin 8,103 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

Marginal occurrence · 3 records
Size 45–65 cm1.5–2.1 ft Weight 2.6–4.3 kg5.7–9.5 lb active by night grassland
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
Microtus pinetorum - crlevy - 550023152

Woodland Vole

Microtus pinetorum

Rarely seen in Wisconsin 14 sightings
Size 10.3 cm4.1 in Weight 26 g0.9 oz active day & night woodland

Sightings by month