Mammals of Rocky Mountain National Park

A herd of elk on Flattop Mountain

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.

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