All three land mammal species once endemic to the Balearic Islands, Spain (the Majorcan giant dormouse, the Balearic shrew and the goat-like ruminant Myotragus balearicus) are currently extinct,[1] while those presently found on the archipelago have been introduced voluntarily or accidentally by humans in colonization waves beginning in the Neolithic.[2] [3]
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
| Extinct | No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. | ||
| Extinct in the wild | Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalised population well outside its previous range. | ||
| Critically endangered | The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild. | ||
| Endangered | The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. | ||
| Vulnerable | The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. | ||
| Near threatened | The species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to in the future. | ||
| Least concern | There are no current identifiable risks to the species. | ||
| Data deficient | There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species. |
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 45kg (99lb).
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.
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 "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout bodied burrowers.
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.
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
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.
The following species are locally extinct in the area but continue to exist elsewhere: