Mammals of Rocky Mountain National Park

There are 67 native species of mammals in Rocky Mountain National Park, a 265,461 acres (107,428 ha) park in Colorado. Species are listed by common name, scientific name, habitat, and abundance. Species which are extirpated, or locally extinct, are marked with an EX.

A herd of elk on Flattop Mountain

Pronghorn

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Antilocapridae

• Pronghorn, Antilocapra americana, meadows, grasslands, sagebrush, occasional

Bovids

A pair of bighorn sheep

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae

• American bison, Bos bison, meadows, grasslands, tundra, extirpated EX
• Aurochs, Bos taurus, meadows, Ex, E
• Mountain goat, Oreamnos americanus, cliffs, rocky areas, occasional (non-native)
• Bighorn sheep, Ovis canadensis, cliffs, rocky areas, tundra, common

Moose, elk, and deer

A moose and her calf

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Cervidae

• Moose, Alces alces, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, meadows, uncommon
• Elk, Cervus elaphus, montane, and subalpine forests, meadows, tundra, abundant
• Mule deer, Odocoileus hemionus, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, common
• White-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, montane forests, meadows, occasional

Canids

Order: Carnivora Family: Canidae

• Coyote, Canis latrans, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, tundra, common
• Gray wolf, Canis lupus, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, tundra, extirpated EX
• Gray fox, Urocyon cineoargentus, montane forests, meadows, unconfirmed
• Red fox, Vulpes vulpes, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, common

Cats

Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae

• Canada lynx, Lynx canadensis, subalpine forests, rare
• Bobcat, Lynx rufus, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, common
• Cougar, Puma concolor, montane and subalpine forests, uncommon

Skunks

Order: Carnivora Family: Mephitidae

• Striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis, montane forests, meadows, riparian, uncommon
• Western spotted skunk, Spilogale gracilis, montane forests, meadows, riparian, rare

Weasels

A long-tailed weasel

Order: Carnivora Family: Mustelidae

• Wolverine, Gulo gulo, subalpine forests, alpine tundra, occasional
• North American river otter, Lontra canadensis, rivers, riparian, uncommon
• American marten, Martes americana, montane and subalpine forests, uncommon
• Ermine, Mustela erminea, montane and subalpine forests, alpine tundra, meadows, uncommon
• Long-tailed weasel, Mustela frenata, montane and subalpine forests, alpine tundra, meadows, common
• American mink, Mustela vison, rivers, lakes, riparian, rare
• American badger, Taxidea taxus, meadows, grasslands, uncommon

Raccoons and Ringtails

Order: Carnivora Family: Procyonidae

• Common raccoon, Procyon lotor, montane forests, riparian, uncommon
• Ring-tailed cat, Bassariscus astutus, montane forests, riparian, rare, if present

Bears

Order: Carnivora Family: Ursidae

• Grizzly bear, Ursus arctos, montane and subalpine forests, alpine tundra, meadows, extirpated EX
• American black bear, Ursus americanus, montane and subalpine forests, common

Bats

Order: Chiroptera Family: Vespertilionidae

• Silver-haired bat, Lasionycteris noctivagans, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, meadows, common
• Hoary bat, Lasiurus cinereus, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, meadows, uncommon
• Western small-footed myotis, Myotis ciliolabrum, montane forests, riparian, meadows rare, if present
• Long-eared myotis, Myotis evotis, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, meadows, uncommon
• Little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, meadows, uncommon
• Big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, meadows, rare, if present
• Long-legged myotis, Myotis volans, montane forests, riparian, meadows, uncommon
• Townsend's big-eared bat, Plecotus townsendii, montane and subalpine forest, riparian, meadows, rare, if present

Free-tailed bats

Order: Chiroptera Family: Molossidae

• Brazilian free-tailed bat, Tadarida brasiliensis, montane forests, meadows, rocky areas, rare, if present

Hares and rabbits

A snowshoe hare in its summer coat

Order: Lagomorpha Family: Leporidae

• Snowshoe hare, Lepus americanus, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, alpine tundra, common
• White-tailed jackrabbit, Lepus townsendii, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, alpine tundra, rare
• Mountain cottontail, Sylvilagus nuttallii, montane forests, riparian, meadows, uncommon
• Eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus, montane forests, rare, if present

Pikas

An American pika

Order: Lagomorpha Family: Ochotonidae

• American pika, Ochotona princeps, rocky areas, alpine tundra, common

Beavers

Order: Rodentia Family: Castoridae

• American beaver, Castor canadensis, rivers, streams, lakes, riparian, uncommon

Voles and mice

Order: Rodentia Family: Cricetidae

• Southern red-backed vole, Clethrionomys gapperi, montane and subalpine forests, common
• Long-tailed vole, Microtus longicaudis, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, riparian, uncommon
• Montane vole, Microtus montanus, meadows, riparian, common
• Meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus, meadows, riparian, rare, if present
• Sagebrush vole, Lagurus curtatus, meadows, sagebrush flats, rare, if present
• Bushy-tailed woodrat, Neotoma cinerea, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, riparian, uncommon
• Mexican woodrat, Neotoma mexicana, montane forests, meadows, riparian, rare, if present
• Common muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus, marshes, lakes, riparian, uncommon
• Deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, riparian, alpine tundra, abundant
• Northern rock mouse, Peromyscus nasutus, montane forests, meadows, riparian, uncommon
• Western heather vole, Phenacomus intermedius, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, alpine tundra, uncommon

Jumping mice

Order: Rodentia Family: Dipodidae

• Western jumping mouse, Zapus princeps, deciduous forests, meadows, riparian, common

Porcupines

A North American porcupine

Order: Rodentia Family: Erethizontidae

• North American porcupine, Erethizon dorsatum, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, uncommon

Pocket gophers

Order: Rodentia Family: Geomyidae

• Northern pocket gopher, Thomomys talpoides, meadows, alpine tundra, common

Squirrels

A yellow-bellied marmot

Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae

• Yellow-bellied marmot, Marmota flaviventris, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, alpine tundra, common
• Abert's squirrel, Sciurus aberti, montane ponderosa pine forests, uncommon
• Fox squirrel, Sciurus niger, riparian, rare (Non-native)
• Wyoming ground squirrel, Urocitellus elegans, montane forests, meadows, common
• Golden-mantled ground squirrel, Spermophilus lateralis, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, riparian, common
• Rock squirrel, Spermophilus variegiatus, montane forests, rare, if present
• Least chipmunk, Tamias minimas, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, riparian, common
• Colorado chipmunk, Tamias quadrivittatus, montane forests, meadows, rare, if present
• Uinta chipmunk, Neotamias umbrinus, montane and subalpine forests, meadows, riparian, common
• Pine squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, common

Shrews

Order: Soricomorpha Family: Soricidae

• Masked shrew, Sorex cinereus, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, meadow, alpine tundra, common
• American pygmy shrew, Sorex hoyi, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, meadow, uncommon
• Montane shrew, Sorex monticolus, montane and subalpine forests, riparian, meadow, common
• Dwarf shrew, Sorex nanus, subalpine forests, meadow, alpine tundra, rare
• American water shrew, Sorex palustris, lakes, streams, marshes, riparian, uncommon