Mammals that you might see whilst on a walking or wildife holiday in Spain
The mammals of Spain vary from the better known Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) and Red Deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) to the last remaining numbers of the endangered Wolf (Canis lupus signatus) and Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) and further to the little known semi aquatic Pyrenean Desman (Galemys pyrenaicus).
There are well over 100 species of mammals in Iberia ranging from the tiny shrews to the enormous whales. There are species that live in high mountain zones such as Chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica), Alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) and Mouflon a type of wild sheep (Ovis musimon) and at the opposite end of the scale, marine mammals such as Long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melaena), Bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus) and Striped Dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba).
There is also a large bat population with 30 species of bats currently known to live in Iberia (see the full list below). The Greater Noctule Bat (Nyctalus lasiopterus) has recently been the subject of studies as it is thought to be preying on small migrating birds that fly through the area of Doñana National Park at night.
Watching bears wolves and lynx in Spain
The Wild Wolf Experience provide Iberian wolf, Iberian lynx and Cantabrian brown bear wildlife watching holidays. See more information about these holidays here. https://wildsideholidays.co.uk/wild-wolf-experience/
The below list of mammals in Spain is an ongoing project. Do you have any images we can use to improve the information pages?
- Cantabrian Brown Bear – Ursus arctos – Oso Pardo Cantábrico
- Iberian Lynx – Lynx pardinus – Lince Ibérico
- Iberian Wolf – Canis lupus signatus – Lobo Ibérico
- Iberian red fox – Vulpes vulpes Silacea – Zorro
- European wildcat – Felis silvestris – Gato Montes
- Otter – Lutra lutra -Nutria Europea
- Common genet – Genetta genetta – Gineta
- Egyptian mongoose – Herpestes ichneumon widdringtonii – Meloncillo
- Stone marten (Martes foina) Garduña
- European pine marten – Martes martes – Marta
- American mink – Neovison vison – Vison Americano
- European polecat – Mustela putorius – Turón
- European mink – Mustela lutreola – Vison europea
- Stoat /Ermine – Mustela erminea – Armiño
- Least weasel – Mustela nivalis – Comadreja
- Alpine marmot – Marmota marmota – Marmota alpina
- European bison – Bison bonasus – Bisonte europeo
- Spanish Ibex (Capra pyrenaica hispanica) Cabra montés
- Pyrenean chamois – Rupicapra pyrenaica – Rebeco
- Barbary sheep – Ammotragus lervia – Arrui
- European mouflon – Ovis aries musimon – Muflon
- Red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) Ciervo
- Fallow deer – Dama dama – Gamo
- Roe deer – Capreolus capreolus – Corzo
- Iberian Wild Boar – Sus scofra – Jabali
- European badger – Meles meles – Tejon
- Common Racoon – Procyon lotor – Mapache boreal o Racuna
- Barbary macaque – Macaca sylvanus – Macaco de berbera
Marine mammals of Spain
Dolphins
- Common bottlenose dolphin or Atlantic bottlenose dolphin – Tursiops truncatus -Delfín mular
- Striped dolphin – Stenella coeruleoalba – Delfín listado
- Short-beaked common dolphin – Delphinus delphis – Delfín común
- Rough-toothed dolphin – Steno bredanensis – Delfín de dientes rugosos
- Atlantic spotted dolphin – Stenella frontalis – Delfín moteado Atlántico
- Risso’s dolphin – Grampus griseus – Calderón gris
- False killer whale Pseudorca crassidens – Falsa orca
- Killer whale – Orcinus orca – Orca
Whales
- Short-finned pilot whale – Globicephala macrorhynchus – Calderón tropical
- Fin whale – Balaenoptera physalus – Rorcual común
- Sei whale – Balaenoptera borealis -Rorcual norteño
- Sperm whale – Physeter macrocephalus – Cachalote
- Cuvier’s beaked whale – Ziphius cavirostris – Zifio común
Bat species in Spain
- Barbastella barbastellus – Barbastelle – barbastela or murciélago de bosque
- Eptesicus serotinus –Serotine bat – murciélago hortelano
- Hypsugo savii – Savi’s pipistrelle – murciélago montañero o de montaña
- Miniopterus schreibersi – Schreiber’s bat – murciélago de cueva
- Myotis alcathoe – Alcathoe bat – murciélago ratonero bigotudo pequeño
- Myotis bechsteini – Bechstein’s bat – murciélago ratonero forestal
- Myotis blythii – Lesser mouse-eared bat – murciélago ratonero mediano
- Myotis capaccinii – Long-fingered bat – murciélago ratonero patudo
- Myotis daubentoni – Daubenton’s bat – murciélago ratonero ribereño
- Myotis emarginata – Geoffroy’s bat – murciélago ratonero pardo
- Myotis myotis – Greater mouse-eared bat – murciélago ratonero grande
- Myotis mystacinus – Whiskered bat – murciélago ratonero bigotudo
- Myotis nattereri – Natterer’s bat – murciélago ratonero gris
- Nyctalus lasiopterus – Greater noctule – nóctulo grande
- Nyctalus leisleri – Leisler’s bat – nóctulo pequeño
- Nyctalus noctula – Noctule (or great bat) – nóctulo mediano
- Pipistrellus maderensis – Madeira pipistrelle – murciélago de Madeira
- Pipistrellus mediterraneus – Common pipistrelle – murciélago enano (or de Cabrera)
- Pipistrellus pipistrellus – Pipistrelle or common bat – murciélago enano
- Pipistrellus kuhlii – Kuhl’s pipistrelle – murciélago de borde claro
- Pipistrellus pygmaeus – soprano pipistrelle – murciélago de Cabrera
- Plecotus auritus – Brown long-eared bat – murciélago orejudo dorado
- Plecotus austriacus – Grey long-eared bat – murciélago orejudo gris
- Plecotus teneriffae – Tenerife long-eared bat – murciélago orejudo canario
- Plecotus macrobullaris – Alpine long-eared bat or mountain long-eared bat – murciélago orejudo alpino
- Rhinolophus euryale – Mediterranean horseshoe bat – murciélago mediterráneo de herradura
- Rhinolophus ferrumequinun – Greater horseshoe bat – murciélago grande de herradura
- Rhinolophus hipposideros – Lesser horseshoe bat – murciélago pequeño de herradura
- Rhinolophus mehelyi – Mehely’s horseshoe bat – murciélago mediano de herradura
- Tadarida teniotis – European free-tailed bat – murciélago rabudo
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