List of mammals of Botswana

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Burchell's zebra, Equus quagga burchellii, is the national animal of Botswana.

This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Botswana. There are 170 mammal species in Botswana, of which one is critically endangered, one is endangered, six are vulnerable, and six 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.

Subclass: Theria[]

Infraclass: Eutheria[]

Order: Macroscelidea (elephant shrews)[]

Often called sengi, the elephant shrews or jumping shrews are native to southern Africa. Their common English name derives from their elongated flexible snout and their resemblance to the true shrews.

  • Family: Macroscelididae (elephant shrews)
    • Genus: Elephantulus
      • Short-snouted elephant shrew, E. brachyrhynchus LC
      • Bushveld elephant shrew, E. intufi LC
      • Eastern rock elephant shrew, E. myurus LC
      • Western rock elephant shrew, E. rupestris LC
    • Genus: Macroscelides
      • Short-eared elephant shrew, M. proboscideus LC

Order: Tubulidentata (aardvarks)[]

Aardvark

The order Tubulidentata consists of a single species, the aardvark. Tubulidentata are characterised by their teeth which lack a pulp cavity and form thin tubes which are continuously worn down and replaced.

  • Family: Orycteropodidae
    • Genus: Orycteropus
      • Aardvark, O. afer LC

Order: Hyracoidea (hyraxes)[]

Cape hyrax

The hyraxes are any of four species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. About the size of a domestic cat they are well-furred, with rounded bodies and a stumpy tail. They are native to Africa and the Middle East.

  • Family: Procaviidae (hyraxes)
    • Genus: Heterohyrax
      • Yellow-spotted rock hyrax, Heterohyrax brucei LC
    • Genus: Procavia
      • Cape hyrax, Procavia capensis LC

Order: Proboscidea (elephants)[]

African bush elephant

The elephants comprise three living species and are the largest living land animals.

  • Family: Elephantidae (elephants)
    • Genus: Loxodonta
      • African bush elephant, L. africana EN[2]

Order: Primates[]

The order Primates contains humans and their closest relatives: lemurs, lorisoids, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes.

  • Suborder: Strepsirrhini
  • Suborder: Haplorhini
    • Infraorder: Simiiformes
      • Parvorder: Catarrhini
        • Superfamily: Cercopithecoidea
          • Family: Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys)
            • Genus: Chlorocebus
              • Malbrouck, Chlorocebus cynosuros LR/lc
              • Vervet monkey, Chlorocebus pygerythrus LR/lc
            • Genus: Papio
              • Chacma baboon, Papio ursinus LR/lc

Order: Rodentia (rodents)[]

Spiny mouse
Acacia rat

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).

Order: Lagomorpha (lagomorphs)[]

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 20th 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.

  • Family: Leporidae (rabbits, hares)
    • Genus: Pronolagus
    • Genus: Lepus
      • Cape hare, Lepus capensis LR/lc
      • African savanna hare, Lepus microtis LR/lc

Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)[]

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.

  • Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs)
    • Subfamily: Erinaceinae
      • Genus: Atelerix
        • Southern African hedgehog, Atelerix frontalis LR/lc

Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)[]

The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.

  • Family: Soricidae (shrews)
    • Subfamily: Crocidurinae
      • Genus: Crocidura
        • Reddish-gray musk shrew, Crocidura cyanea LC
        • Bicolored musk shrew, Crocidura fuscomurina LC
        • Lesser red musk shrew, Crocidura hirta LC
        • Swamp musk shrew, Crocidura mariquensis LC
        • African giant shrew, Crocidura olivieri LC
      • Genus: Suncus

Order: Chiroptera (bats)[]

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: Pholidota (pangolins)[]

The order Pholidota comprises the eight species of pangolin. Pangolins are anteaters and have the powerful claws, elongated snout and long tongue seen in the other unrelated anteater species.

  • Family: Manidae
    • Genus: Manis
      • Ground pangolin, Manis temminckii LR/nt

Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)[]

African leopard
Cheetah
Yellow mongoose
Spotted hyena
Black-backed jackal
Ratel

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

  • Suborder: Feliformia
    • Family: Felidae (cats)
      • Subfamily: Felinae
        • Genus: Acinonyx
          • Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus VU
            • Southeast African cheetah, A. j. jubatus
        • Genus: Caracal
          • Caracal, Caracal caracal LC
        • Genus: Felis
        • Genus: Leptailurus
          • Serval, Leptailurus serval LC
      • Subfamily: Pantherinae
        • Genus: Panthera
          • Lion, Panthera leo VU
            • Panthera leo melanochaita
          • Leopard, Panthera pardus VU
            • African leopard, P. p. pardus
    • Family: Viverridae
      • Subfamily: Viverrinae
    • Family: Herpestidae (mongooses)
    • Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas)
      • Genus: Crocuta
        • Spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta LC
      • Genus: Parahyaena
      • Genus: Proteles
        • Aardwolf, Proteles cristatus LC
  • Suborder: Caniformia
    • Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
      • Genus: Lupulella
      • Genus: Vulpes
        • Cape fox, Vulpes chama LC
      • Genus: Otocyon
      • Genus: Lycaon
        • African wild dog, Lycaon pictus EN
    • Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
      • Genus: Ictonyx
      • Genus: Poecilogale
        • African striped weasel, Poecilogale albinucha LC
      • Genus: Mellivora
        • Ratel, Mellivora capensis LC
      • Genus: Lutra
        • Speckle-throated otter, Lutra maculicollis NT
      • Genus: Aonyx
        • African clawless otter, Aonyx capensis NT

Order: Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates)[]

The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and grazing mammals. They are usually large to very large, and have relatively simple stomachs and a large middle toe.

Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)[]

African buffalo
Roan antelope
Impala
Waterbuck

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.

  • Family: Suidae (pigs)
    • Subfamily: Phacochoerinae
      • Genus: Phacochoerus
        • Common warthog, Phacochoerus africanus LR/lc
    • Subfamily: Suinae
      • Genus: Potamochoerus
        • Bushpig, Potamochoerus larvatus LR/lc
  • Family: Hippopotamidae (hippopotamuses)
    • Genus: Hippopotamus
      • Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus amphibius VU
  • Family: Giraffidae (giraffe, okapi)
    • Genus: Giraffa
      • Giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis VU
  • Family: Bovidae (cattle, antelope, sheep, goats)
    • Subfamily: Alcelaphinae
      • Genus: Alcelaphus
        • Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus LR/cd
      • Genus: Connochaetes
        • Blue wildebeest, Connochaetes taurinus LR/cd
      • Genus: Damaliscus
        • Topi, Damaliscus lunatus LR/cd
    • Subfamily: Antilopinae
      • Genus: Antidorcas
        • Springbok antelope, Antidorcas marsupialis LR/cd
      • Genus: Oreotragus
        • Klipspringer, Oreotragus oreotragus LR/cd
      • Genus: Ourebia
        • Oribi, Ourebia ourebi LR/cd
      • Genus: Raphicerus
        • Steenbok, Raphicerus campestris LR/lc
        • Sharpe's grysbok, Raphicerus sharpei LR/cd
    • Subfamily: Bovinae
      • Genus: Syncerus
        • African buffalo, Syncerus caffer LR/cd
      • Genus: Tragelaphus
        • Nyala, T. angasii LC introduced
        • Common eland, Tragelaphus oryx LR/cd
        • Bushbuck, Tragelaphus scriptus LR/lc
        • Sitatunga, Tragelaphus spekii LR/nt
        • Greater kudu, Tragelaphus strepsiceros LR/cd
    • Subfamily: Cephalophinae
      • Genus: Sylvicapra
        • Common duiker, Sylvicapra grimmia LR/lc
    • Subfamily: Hippotraginae
      • Genus: Hippotragus
        • Roan antelope, Hippotragus equinus LR/cd
        • Sable antelope, Hippotragus niger LR/cd
      • Genus: Oryx
        • Gemsbok, Oryx gazella LR/cd
    • Subfamily: Peleinae
      • Genus: Pelea
        • Grey rhebok, Pelea capreolus LC
    • Subfamily: Aepycerotinae
      • Genus: Aepyceros
        • Impala, Aepyceros melampus LR/cd
    • Subfamily: Reduncinae
      • Genus: Kobus
        • Waterbuck, Kobus ellipsiprymnus LR/cd
        • Lechwe, Kobus leche LR/cd
        • Puku, Kobus vardonii LR/cd
      • Genus: Redunca
        • Southern reedbuck, Redunca arundinum LR/cd
        • Mountain reedbuck, Redunca fulvorufula LC

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. ^ Gobush, K.S.; Edwards, C.T.T.; Maisels, F.; Wittemyer, G.; Balfour, D.; Taylor, R.D. (2021). "Loxodonta cyclotis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T181007989A204404464. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T181007989A204404464.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  3. ^ Taylor, P. (2016). "Rhinolophus blasii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T19515A21972073.

References[]

See also[]

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