A class of warm-blooded animals with fur or hair on their bodies. Mammals are vertebrates. The young are born live and feed on milk from their mothers. There are 121 species of mammals in North Carolina, 21 of which are protected. More information on some of our state's mammals is provided below.
Armadillo, Nine-banded
Dasypus novemcinctus
More Information
Bat
Chiroptera
Bear, Black
Ursus americanus
Beaver
Castor canadensis
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
Cougar, Eastern
Felis concolor
Profile
Coyote
Canis latrans
Deer, White-tailed
Odocoileus virginianus
Elk
Cervus canadensis
Evaluation of the Feasibility of Establishing a Huntable Elk Population in North Carolina (PDF)
Feral Swine
Sus scrofa
Fox, Gray
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
Fox, Red
Vulpes vulpes
Groundhog
Marmota monax
Mink
Neovison vison
Muskrat
Ondatra zibethicus
Range Map (PDF)
Nutria
Myocastor coypus
Opossum, Virginia
Didelphis virginiana
Otter, River
Lontra canadensis
Rabbit, Appalachian Cottontail
Sylvilagus obscurus
Rabbit, Eastern Cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus
Rabbit, Marsh
Sylvilagus palustris
Raccoon
Procyon lotor
Skunk, Spotted
Spilogale putorius
Skunk, Striped
Mephitis mephitis
Squirrel, Carolina Northern Flying
Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus
Squirrel, Fox
Sciurus niger
Squirrel, Gray
Sciurus carolinensis
Squirrel, Southern Flying
Glaucomys volans
Weasel, Long-tailed
Mustela frenata
Wolf, Red
Canis rufus
American Shad Alosa sapidissima
American Shad Information
Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus
Profile (PDF)
Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Black Crappie Information
Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus
Blue Catfish Information
Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus
Bluegill Information
Bodie Bass (hybrid striped bass) Morone saxatilis x Morone chrysops
Bodie Bass Information
Bowfin Amia calva
Bowfin Information
Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis
Brook Trout Information
Brown Trout Salmo trutta
Brown Trout Information
Bullhead Catfish Ameiurus species
Bullhead Catfish Information
Cape Fear Shiner Notropis mekistocholas
Cape Fear Shiner Information
Carolina Madtom Noturus furiosus
Carolina Madtom Information
Carolina Redhorse Moxostoma sp. ‘Carolina’
Carolina Redhorse Information
Chain Pickerel Esox niger
Chain Pickerel Information
Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus
Channel Catfish Information
Common Carp Cyprinus carpio
Common Carp Information
Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris
Flathead Catfish Information
Golden Topminnow Fundulus chrysotus
Golden Topminnow Information
Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus
Green Sunfish Information
Hickory Shad Alosa mediocris
Hickory Shad Information
Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides
Largemouth Bass Information
Muskellunge Esox masquinongy
Muskellunge Information
Pirate Perch Aphredoderus sayanus
Pirate Perch Information
Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus
Pumpkinseed Information
Rainbow Trout Oncorhyncus mykiss
Rainbow Trout Information
Redbreast Sunfish Lepomis auritus
Redbreast Sunfish Information
Redear Sunfish Lepomis microlophus
Redear Sunfish Information
Roanoke Bass Ambloplites cavifrons
Roanoke Bass Information
Roanoke Hogsucker Hypentelium roanokense
Roanoke Hogsucker Information
Roanoke Logperch Percina rex
Roanoke Logperch Information
Robust Redhorse Moxostoma robustum
Robust Redhorse Information
Fact sheet (low resolution) Fact sheet (high resolution)
Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris
Rock Bass Information
Sea Lamprey Petromyzon marinus
Sea Lamprey Information
Sicklefin Redhorse Moxostoma sp.
Sicklefin Redhorse Information
Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu
Smallmouth Bass Information
Spotfin Chub Erimonax monachus
Spotfin Chub Information
Spotted Bass Micropterus punctulatus
Spotted Bass Information
Striped Bass Morone saxatilis
Striped Bass Information
Tangerine Darter Percina aurantiaca
Tangerine Darter Information
Waccamaw Silverside Menidia extensa
Waccamaw Silverside Information
Walleye Sander vitreus
Walleye Information
Warmouth Lepomis gulosus
Warmouth Information
White Bass Morone chrysops
White Bass Information
White Catfish Ameiurus catus
White Catfish Information
White Crappie Pomoxis annularis
White Crappie Information
White Perch Morone americana
White Perch Information
Yellow Perch Perca flavescens
Yellow Perch Information
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Bobwhite quail, Northern
Colinus virginianus
Colonial Waterbirds
Fact sheet. (low resolution) Fact sheet. (high resolution)
Dove, Mourning
Zenaida macroura
Duck, Black
Anas rubripes
Duck, Canvasback
Aythya valisineria
Duck, Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Duck, Wood
Aix sponsa
North Carolina Wood Ducks Natural History and Management (PDF)
Egret, Snowy
Egretta thula
Goose, Canada
Branta canadensis
Grouse, Ruffed
Bonasa umbelius
Hawk, Red Shoulder
Buteo lineatus
Neotropical Migratory Landbirds
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Owl, Great Horned
Bubo virginianus
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
Pintail, Northern
Anas acuta
Rail, Clapper
Rallus crepitans
Additional Information
Swan, Tundra
Cygnus columbianus
Tern, Least
Sternula antillarum
Turkey, Wild
Meleagris gallopavo
Waterfowl in North Carolina
Wigeon, American
Anas americana
Woodcock, American
Scolopax minor
More information
Woodpecker, red-cockaded
Picoides borealis
Alligator, American
Alligator mississippiensis
Turtle, Bog
Glyptemys (Clemmys) muhlenbergii
Copperhead
Agkistrodon contortrix
Snake, Corn
Elaphe guttata (Pantherophis guttatus)
Snake, Cottonmouth
Agkistrodon piscivorus
Terrapin, Diamondback
Malaclemys terrapin
Turtle, Eastern Box
Terrapene carolina carolina
Leatherback Sea Turtle
Dermochelys coriacea
Snake, Rat
Elaphe obsoleta (Pantherophis alleghaniensis)
Turtle, Sea
Chelonioidea
Fact sheet (low resolution)
Fact sheet (high resolution)
Bufonidae Family
Fowler's Toad
Bufo (Anaxyrus) fowleri
American Toad
Bufo (Anaxyrus) americanus
Oak Toad
Bufo (Anaxyrus) quercicus
Southern Toad
Bufo (Anaxyrus) terrestris
Cryptobranchidae Family
Eastern Hellbender
Cryptobranchus a.alleganiensis
Hylidae Family
Frog, Cricket
Northern (Acris crepitans) Southern (Acris gryllus)
Mountain Chorus Frog
Pseudacris brachyphona
Microhylidae Family
Toad, Eastern Narrowmouth
Gastrophryne carolinensis
Plethodontidae Family
Green Salamander
Aneides aeneus
Seepage Salamander
Desmognathus aeneus
Ranidae Family
American Bullfrog
Rana catesbeiana
Carolina Gopher Frog
Rana capito
Frog, Carpenter
Rana virgatipes
Green Frog
Rana clamitans
Pickerel Frog
Rana palustris
Wood Frog
Rana sylvatica
Southern Leopard Frog
Rana sphenocephala
Credit: TWRA-Carl Williams
Mollusks are a group that includes snails, slugs, and mussels. They are invertebrate animals with soft, unsegmented bodies. Most have hard, external shells.
Management Recommendations
Download the Protected Wildlife Species of NC document
“Game” status includes species that can be hunted in North Carolina.
“Nongame” status includes species that are not classified as game or furbearer. These species are regulated by the NCWRC and may be hunted or trapped with the appropriate licenses/permits.
“Big Game” status includes species that can be hunted and must be registered with the NCWRC upon harvest.
“Furbearer” status includes species that can be trapped in North Carolina.