Notes from the Road Travelogue
About
Notes from the Road> About >

Mammals life list

Updated July 3, 2026

This is my list of all the wild mammals I have recorded while traveling for Notes from the Road.

MarsupialiaMarsupials

Marsupials: These mammals give birth to relatively undeveloped young, which then complete their development in a pouch. Examples include kangaroos, koalas, and opossums.

Central American Woolly OpossumCaluromys derbianus

Central American Woolly Opossum (Caluromys derbianus), Isla Bastimentos, Panama

I first saw these incredible marsupials on Isla Bastimentos, Panama.

Common OpossumDidelphis marsupialis

Water OpossumChironectes minimus

XenarthraXenarthrans

Xenarthrans: Characterized by unique skeletal features, including extra joints in their backbone. Includes anteaters, sloths, and armadillos.

Northern TamanduaTamandua mexicana

Brown-throated SlothBradypus variegatus

A brown-throated sloth (Bradypus variegatus) hanging from a leafy branch and looking toward the camera.

Hoffmann's Two-toed SlothCholoepus hoffmanni

Primates

Primates: Includes humans, apes, monkeys, and prosimians.

Barbary MacaqueMacaca sylvanus

Black HowlerAlouatta caraya

Black-mantled TamarinLeontocebus nigricollis

Central American Squirrel MonkeySaimiri oerstedii

Tufted CapuchinSapajus apella

Cotton-top TamarinSaguinus oedipus

Cotton-top Tamarin (Saguinus oedipus), Caribbean lowlands of Colombia

I wrote about Cotton-tops in detail in my notes on the Caribbean lowlands of Colombia.

Geoffroy's Spider MonkeyAteles geoffroyi

Humboldt's Squirrel MonkeySaimiri cassiquiarensis

A Humboldt's squirrel monkey (Saimiri cassiquiarensis) perched on a vine, peering through rainforest leaves.

Red-bellied Titi MonkeyPlecturocebus moloch

A red-bellied titi monkey (Plecturocebus moloch) with a dark face and russet fur, partly hidden behind leaves.

Mantled HowlerAlouatta palliata

A black mantled howler monkey (Alouatta palliata) beside large green leaves, mouth slightly open.

Panamanian Night MonkeyAotus zonalis

A Panamanian night monkey (Aotus zonalis) with huge round eyes, sitting in a tree at night.

Purús Red HowlerAlouatta puruensis

A Purús red howler (Alouatta puruensis) with shaggy rust-red fur, climbing along a branch against a bright sky.

Spix's Night MonkeyAotus vociferans

Central American White-faced CapuchinCebus imitator

A Central American white-faced capuchin (Cebus imitator) peering down through palm fronds in the forest canopy.

Photographed in Soberania National Park.

RodentiaRodents

Rodents: Largest order of mammals, including mice, rats, squirrels, beavers, and many others.

Arctic Ground SquirrelUrocitellus parryii

An arctic ground squirrel (Urocitellus parryii) standing upright on its hind legs among green shrubs.

Black AgoutiDasyprocta fuliginosa

Black-tailed Prairie DogCynomys ludovicianus

CapybaraHydrochoerus hydrochaeris

Two capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) standing in shallow water at the base of a muddy riverbank.

Central American AgoutiDasyprocta punctata

A Central American agouti (Dasyprocta punctata) walking through grass, its glossy orange-brown coat catching the light.

Desert Kangaroo RatDipodomys deserti

North American BeaverCastor canadensis

California Ground SquirrelOtospermophilus beecheyi

Douglas SquirrelTamiasciurus douglasii

Santander Dwarf SquirrelMicrosciurus santanderensis

Eastern Fox SquirrelSciurus niger

An eastern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) perched in the crook of a mossy tree, looking straight at the camera.

Eastern Gray SquirrelSciurus carolinensis

Eastern Red SquirrelTamiasciurus hudsonicus

Golden-mantled Ground SquirrelCallospermophilus lateralis

Harris' Antelope SquirrelAmmospermophilus harrisii

Hopi ChipmunkNeotamias rufus

Least ChipmunkNeotamias minimus

Nutria or CoypuMyocastor coypus

American Red SquirrelTamiasciurus hudsonicus

Red-rumped AgoutiDasyprocta leporina

A dark red-rumped agouti (Dasyprocta leporina) feeding on a stem beneath ferns at the forest edge.

Red-tailed SquirrelSciurus granatensis

Rock SquirrelOtospermophilus variegatus

Round-tailed Ground SquirrelXerospermophilus tereticaudus

A round-tailed ground squirrel (Xerospermophilus tereticaudus) peeking out of its burrow in pale desert sand.

Variegated SquirrelSciurus variegatoides

Thirteen-Lined Ground SquirrelIctidomys tridecemlineatus

Townsend's ChipmunkNeotamias townsendii

White-tailed Antelope SquirrelAmmospermophilus leucurus

Yellow-bellied MarmotMarmota flaviventris

LagomorphaLagomorphs

Lagomorphs: Includes rabbits, hares, and pikas.

American PikaOchotona princeps

Black-tailed JackrabbitLepus californicus

Desert CottontailSylvilagus audubonii

Eastern CottontailSylvilagus floridanus

Seen in Portland, Oregon.

Marsh RabbitSylvilagus palustris

A marsh rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris) half hidden in tall grass, its ears upright.

Common TapetiSylvilagus brasiliensis

Western Brush RabbitSylvilagus bachmani

European RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus

Seen in Southeastern Sicily, Italy.

EulipotyphlaInsectivores

Insectivores: Includes shrews, moles, and hedgehogs.

Townsend's MoleScapanus townsendii

Eastern MoleScapanus aquaticus

ChiropteraBats

Bats: Only mammals capable of sustained flight.

Savi's PipistrelleHypsugo savii

Seen in Taormina, Sicily, Italy.

Lesser Bulldog BatNoctilio albiventris

Lesser Sac-winged BatSaccopteryx leptura

Lesser Long-tongued BatChoeroniscus minor

Little Brown BatMyotis lucifugus

Orange Nectar BatLonchophylla robusta

Orange Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla robusta) near El Valle de Antón, Panama

Photographed near El Valle de Anton, Panama.

Tent-making BatUroderma bilobatum

Western Small-footed BatMyotis ciliolabrum

Western PipistrelleParastrellus hesperus

Greater Sac-winged BatSaccopteryx bilineata

CarnivoraCarnivorans

Carnivorans: Includes cats, dogs, bears, weasels, and seals.

American Black BearUrsus americanus

CoyoteCanis latrans

A coyote (Canis latrans) with its mouth open, standing among dry brush and bare branches.

CougarPuma concolor

European MinkMustela lutreola

Gray FoxUrocyon cinereoargenteus

KinkajouPotos flavus

A kinkajou (Potos flavus) clinging to a branch among bright green rainforest leaves.

Kit FoxVulpes macrotis

American MinkNeogale vison

Northern RaccoonProcyon lotor

A northern raccoon (Procyon lotor) walking toward the camera through a tangle of mangrove roots and fallen leaves.

Red FoxVulpes vulpes

North American River OtterLontra canadensis

North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis)

Sea OtterEnhydra lutris

Small Indian MongooseUrva auropunctata

Striped Hog-Nosed SkunkConepatus semistriatus

TayraEira barbara

Western-Spotted SkunkSpilogale gracilis

White-nosed CoatimundiNasua narica

ArtiodactylaEven-toed Ungulates

Even-toed ungulates: Includes pigs, deer, cattle, giraffes, and hippopotamuses.

Bighorn SheepOvis canadensis

American BisonBison bison

CaribouRangifer tarandus

A caribou (Rangifer tarandus) bull with velvet antlers walking across the tundra near Nome, Alaska.

ElkCervus canadensis

MooseAlces alces

Mule DeerOdocoileus hemionus

A mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) glancing back over its shoulder in a meadow of purple lupine.

White-tailed DeerOdocoileus virginianus

A young white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) peering out from green leaves, its large ears spread wide.

Water DeerHydropotes inermis

Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis) on Ganghwa Island, South Korea

I was pretty taken aback when I saw this vampire deer staring back at me. I saw this Water Deer on Ganghwa Island. These Water deer have fangs—elongated upper canine teeth—because, unlike most deer that use antlers to compete, male water deer use their tusk-like fangs to fight rivals during mating season. They have no antlers, so their fangs evolved as weapons to establish dominance and secure mates.

Collared PeccaryDicotyles tajacu

MuskoxOvibos moschatus

A shaggy muskox (Ovibos moschatus) with curled horns standing on a gravel road.

I wrote about my encounter with a male muskox in Midnight Road to Beringia.

PronghornAntilocapra americana

Two pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) running across a broad green field.

Photographed while on the Loneliest Road in Nevada.

White-lipped PeccaryTayassu pecari

CetaceaCetaceans

Cetaceans: Includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises.

Blue WhaleBalaenoptera musculus

Common Bottlenose DolphinTursiops truncatus

Dall's PorpoisePhocoenoides dalli

A Dall's porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli) surging through the surface in a rooster-tail of spray, its black-and-white body visible in blue water.

Humpback WhaleMegaptera novaeangliae

Long-beaked Common DolphinDelphinus delphis

Fin WhaleBalaenoptera physalus

Gray WhaleEschrichtius robustus

Harbour PorpoisePhocoena phocoena

Pacific White-sided DolphinLagenorhynchus obliquidens

Sei WhaleBalaenoptera borealis

Spinner DolphinStenella longirostris

PinnipediaPinnipeds

Pinnipeds: Includes seals, sea lions, and walruses.

California Sea LionZalophus californianus

Northern Elephant SealMirounga angustirostris

Harbor SealPhoca vitulina

A pale, spotted harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) resting on a seaweed-covered rock with its head and tail lifted above the water.

Hawaiian Monk SealNeomonachus schauinslandi

Northern Fur SealCallorhinus ursinus

Spotted SealPhoca largha

Stellar Sea LionEumetopias jubatus

The Newsletter

Tracks in the mud, notes in the margin.

Natural history, field sketches and essays from the road, free by email.

Explore more in About Us

Contact Me

Write to Erik Gauger of Notes from the Road

Bird Life List

A list of all the birds I've seen in my life, with illustrations.

Butterfly Life List

Every butterfly I've identified in my life, with photographs.

Reptile Life List

Every reptile I've identified in my life, with illustrations.

Amphibian Life List

A list of all the amphibians I've seen in my life, with illustrations.

Dragonflies and Damselflies List

Every dragonfly and damselfly I've seen, with illustrations.

Mammal Life List

A list of all the mammals I've seen in my life.

Spider and Arachnid List

Photographs of the spiders and arachnids I've met in the field.

Fishes Life List

Explore my list of fish species that I have identified.

Grateful Dead Jams

My list of extraordinary road-trip approved Grateful Dead jams.

Phish Jams

My list of the best Phish jams for traveling and road trips.

Jerry Garcia Band Jams

The best big improvisational jams from Jerry Garcia Band and beyond.

Alley Cats of the World

My gallery of feral, stray and wild country cats.

Explore Something Completely Different

Following the Ġbejna Trail Across Malta

From Neolithic seafarers to refugees, Malta's history in cheese.

The Ġbejna Journals in Gozo

On Gozo's pastoral island, an 8,000-year cultural journey.

Reading Paria Canyon

Utah's luminous canyon walls: books, memory, and conspiracies.

Edge of the Bisti Badlands

In New Mexico's alien badlands, a 75-million-year-old fossil delta.

Ganghwa Island: Treaties in the Tidelands

Tidal flats and spoonbills frame a story of global cooperation.

Paddling Kealakekua Bay

In Hawaiʻi's blue waters, ancient battles and coral reefs converge.

Forgotten Guerrillas of La Guajira

In Colombia's desert peninsula, the Wayuu navigate history.

Scarlet Starsong on the Tambopata River

Deep in the Peruvian rainforest, biodiversity and perception intertwine.