There are fifty-six mammal species in Latvia, of which one is endangered, four are vulnerable, and three are near threatened.[1]

The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:

EX Extinct No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died.
EW Extinct in the wild Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range.
CR Critically endangered The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild.
EN Endangered The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
VU Vulnerable The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
NT Near threatened The species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to do so in the future.
LC Least concern There are no current identifiable risks to the species.
DD Data deficient There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species.

Some species were assessed using an earlier set of criteria. Species assessed using this system have the following instead of near threatened and least concern categories:

LR/cd Lower risk/conservation dependent Species which were the focus of conservation programmes and may have moved into a higher risk category if that programme was discontinued.
LR/nt Lower risk/near threatened Species which are close to being classified as vulnerable but are not the subject of conservation programmes.
LR/lc Lower risk/least concern Species for which there are no identifiable risks.

Order: Rodentia (rodents)

Garden dormouse
Edible dormouse
Water vole
Striped field mouse

Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to 45 kg (99 lb). Three species of rodents (voles) have been discovered only in recent three decades: European pine vole,[2] East European vole,[3] and Tundra vole.[4]

Order: Lagomorpha (lagomorphs)

European hare

The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early twentieth century, they have since been considered a separate order. They differ from rodents in a number of physical characteristics, such as having four incisors in the upper jaw rather than two.

Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)

West European hedgehog

The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and gymnures. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats.

Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)

Eurasian pygmy shrew

The Soricomorpha are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.

Order: Chiroptera (bats)

Daubenton's bat
Common noctule

The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.

Order: Cetacea (whales)

Harbour porpoise

The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. They are the mammals most fully adapted to aquatic life with a spindle-shaped nearly hairless body, protected by a thick layer of blubber, and forelimbs and tail modified to provide propulsion underwater.

Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)

Red fox
Least weasel
Grey seal

There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.

Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)

Roe deer

The even-toed ungulates are ungulates whose weight is borne about equally by the third and fourth toes, rather than mostly or entirely by the third as in perissodactyls. There are about 220 artiodactyl species, including many that are of great economic importance to humans.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ This list is derived from the IUCN Red List which lists species of mammals and includes those mammals that have recently been classified as extinct (since 1500 AD). The taxonomy and naming of the individual species is based on those used in existing Wikipedia articles as of 21 May 2007 and supplemented by the common names and taxonomy from the IUCN, Smithsonian Institution, or University of Michigan where no Wikipedia article was available.
  2. ^ Baltrūnaitė, L. 2010. Microtus subterraneus de Sélys-Longchamps, 1836: A new mammal species for the Latvian fauna. Acta Zoologica Lituanica, 20 (1): 37–38.
  3. ^ Zagorodnjuk, I., M. Masing, V. Peskov. 1991. Põld-uruhiire teisikliigid Eestis [Sibling species of Common Vole in Estonia]. Eesti Loodus, No. 11: 674–678.
  4. ^ Balčiauskas, L. 2014. New mammal species for Latvia, the root vole (Microtus oeconomus). Zoology and Ecology, 24 (3): 187–191.
  5. ^ Batbold, J.; Batsaikhan, N.; Shar, S.; Hutterer, R.; Kryštufek, B.; Yigit, N.; Mitsain, G.; Palomo, L. (2016). "Castor fiber". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T4007A115067136.
  6. ^ Hacklande, K. & Schai-Braun, S. (2019). "Lepus europaeus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T41280A45187424.
  7. ^ Smith, A.T. & Johnston, C.H. (2019). "Lepus timidus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T11791A45177198.
  8. ^ Piraccini, R. (2016). "Barbastella barbastellus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T2553A22029285.
  9. ^ Gazaryan, S.; Kruskop, S.V. & Godlevska, L. (2021) [errata version of 2020 assessment]. "Plecotus auritus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T85535522A195861341.
  10. ^ Regional Species Extinctions - Examples of regional species extinctions over the last 1000 years and more. Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ Wieder Finnwal in der Ostsee Archived 2016-04-15 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ Finnwal in der Ostsee gesichtet
  13. ^ Angler filmt Wal in Ostsee-Bucht
  14. ^ Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) - MarLIN, The Marine Life Information Network
  15. ^ Wieder Finnwal in der Ostsee Archived 2016-04-15 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ Finnwal in der Ostsee gesichtet
  17. ^ Angler filmt Wal in Ostsee-Bucht
  18. ^ About the beluga - Russian Geographical Society
  19. ^ Rare Sowerby's beaked whale spotted in the Baltic Sea - WDC
  20. ^ Baltic dolphin sightings confirmed – National
  21. ^ Reeves, R.; Pitman, R.L.; Ford, J.K.B. (2017). "Orcinus orca". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T15421A50368125. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T15421A50368125.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  22. ^ Breitenmoser, U.; Breitenmoser-Würsten, C.; Lanz, T.; von Arx, M.; Antonevich, A.; Bao, W. & Avgan, B. (2015). "Lynx lynx". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T12519A121707666.
  23. ^ McLellan, B. N.; Proctor, M. F.; Huber, D. & Michel, S. (2017). "Ursus arctos". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T41688A121229971.
  24. ^ Roos, A.; Loy, A.; de Silva, P.; Hajkova, P.; Zemanová, B. (2015). "Lutra lutra". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T12419A21935287.
  25. ^ Kranz, A.; Abramov, A. V.; Herrero, J. & Maran, T. (2016). "Meles meles". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T29673A45203002.
  26. ^ Maran, T.; Aulagnier, S.; Libois, R.; Kranz, A.; Abramov, A. & Wozencraft, C. (2010). "Mustela lutreola". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T14018A4381596.
  27. ^ Reid, F.; Schiaffini, M. & Schipper, J. (2016). "Neovison vison". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41661A45214988.
  28. ^ Plumb, G.; Kowalczyk, R. & Hernandez-Blanco, J.A. (2020). "Bison bonasus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T2814A45156279.
  29. ^ Lovari, S.; Lorenzini, R.; Masseti, M.; Pereladova, O.; Carden, R.F.; Brook, S.M. & Mattioli, S. (2018). "Cervus elaphus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T55997072A142404453.
  30. ^ Masseti, M.; Mertzanidou, D. (2008). "Dama dama". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008: e.T42188A10656554. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T42188A10656554.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  31. ^ Hundertmark, K. (2016). "Alces alces". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T56003281A22157381.
  32. ^ Lovari, S.; Herrero, J.; Masseti, M.; Ambarli, H.; Lorenzini, R. & Giannatos, G. (2016). "Capreolus capreolus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T42395A22161386.
  33. ^ Keuling, O. & Leus, K. (2019). "Sus scrofa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T41775A44141833.

References

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