A list of mammals of Lithuania published in 1997 contains 68 species that are present in the country, including 14 bat species, 21 rodents, four shrews, two lagomorphs, one hedgehog, 13 carnivores, five whales and eight ungulates.[1]
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed on the IUCN Red List:
EX
Extinct
No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died.
EW
Extinct in the wild
Known only to survive in captivity or as 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.
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 (100 lb).
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.
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.
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.
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.
^McDonald, R. A.; Abramov, A. V.; Stubbe, M.; Herrero, J.; Maran, T.; Tikhonov, A.; Cavallini, P.; Kranz, A.; Giannatos, G.; Kryštufek, B. & Reid, F. (2019). "Mustela nivalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T70207409A147993366.
