Endangered Animal Population by State

Key Points:

• An “endangered” classification means a species is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. 
• Bats have the highest percentage of endangered species classifications among all mammals in the United States.
• The number one reason species become endangered is the loss of their native habitat.

Important note: this article focuses only on endangered mammals in each state. Endangered amphibians, birds, fish, insects, and other animals are not listed.

As the third largest nation in the world in terms of land area, the sprawling landscape of the United States is filled with a wide diversity of wildlife. There are over 400 mammals in the U.S. Some of those mammals are thriving, but other species are not as fortunate.

Endangered or Threatened: What’s the Difference?

Under the Endangered Species Act, plant and animal species may be listed as either endangered or threatened, but what’s the difference between the two?

An “endangered” classification means a species is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. 

When a species is listed as “threatened,” that classification indicates the species is likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future.

This article lists only those U.S. mammalian species currently classified as endangered. California has the highest number of endangered mammals with 18. Meanwhile, there are 15 states with only one officially documented endangered mammal, and 13 with no endangered mammals, at all.

While the number of states with few or no endangered species may seem high, it must be noted that every U.S. state has species that are classified as threatened. Unless there are changes in the trajectory of these species, they will eventually reach endangered status.

For example, Alaska currently has no officially endangered mammals. That doesn’t mean there are no species under threat, though. The polar bear is classified as threatened but has not yet reached the threshold of endangered. Unless things change, though, the polar bear’s status will likely rise to endangered. 

Bats Are the Most Endangered Animal in the U.S.

When it comes to endangered U.S. mammals, bats clearly take the top spot. There are 27 states with at least one endangered bat species. The Indiana bat alone is considered endangered in 22 states, more than any other mammalian species on the list.

Bats have the highest percentage of endangered species classifications among all mammals in the United States. There are 40 bat species in the U.S. More than half are in severe decline or endangered. Along with habitat loss, a disease known as white-nose syndrome has decimated the U.S. bat population.

Here is a list of every endangered mammal species in the U.S., listed by state.

Alabama – 4 Endangered Species

Alabama beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus ammobates)

Gray bat (Myotis grisescens)

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Perdido Key beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis)

Alaska – 0 Endangered Species

Alaska has no mammalian species currently classified as endangered.

Arizona – 7 Endangered Species

Black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes)

Jaguar (​​Panthera onca)

Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi)

Mount Graham red squirrel (Tamiasciurus fremonti grahamensis)

New Mexico meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius luteus)

Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)

Sonoran Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana sonoriensis)

Arkansas – 3 Endangered Species

Gray bat (Myotis grisescens)

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Ozark big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii ingens)

California – 18 Endangered Species

Amargosa vole (Microtus californicus scirpensis)

Buena Vista Lake ornate shrew (Sorex ornatus relictus)

Fisher (Pekania pennanti)

Fresno kangaroo rat (Dipodomys nitratoides exilis)

Giant kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ingens)

Gray wolf (Canis lupus)

Morro Bay kangaroo rat (​​Dipodomys heermanni morroensis)

Pacific pocket mouse (Perognathus longimembris pacificus)

Peninsular bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni)

Point Arena mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra)

Riparian brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani riparius)

Riparian woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes riparia)

Salt marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris)

San Bernardino Merriam’s kangaroo rat (Dipodomys merriami parvus)

San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica)

Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis sierrae)

Sierra Nevada red fox (Vulpes vulpes necator)

Tipton kangaroo rat (Dipodomys nitratoides nitratoides)

Colorado – 2 Endangered Species

Black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes)

New Mexico meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius luteus)

Connecticut – 1 Endangered Species

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Delaware – 0 Endangered Species

Delware has no mammalian species currently classified as endangered.

Florida – 13 Endangered Species

Anastasia Island beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus phasma)

Choctawhatchee beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus allophrys)

Florida bonneted bat (Eumops floridanus)

Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi)

Florida salt marsh vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus dukecampbelli)

Gray bat (Myotis grisescens)

Key Deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium)

Key Largo cotton mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus allapaticola)

Key Largo woodrat (Neotoma floridana smalli)

Lower Keys marsh rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris hefneri)

Perdido Key beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis)

Silver rice rat (Oryzomys palustris natator)

St. Andrew beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus peninsularis)

Georgia – 2 Endangered Species

Gray bat (Myotis grisescens)

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Hawaii – 1 Endangered Species

Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus)

Idaho – 1 Endangered Species

Southern Mountain Caribou DPS (Rangifer tarandus ssp. caribou)

Illinois – 2 Endangered Species

Gray bat (Myotis grisescens)

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Indiana – 2 Endangered Species

Gray bat (Myotis grisescens)

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Iowa – 1 Endangered Species

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Kansas – 2 Endangered Species

Black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes)

Gray bat (Myotis grisescens)

Kentucky – 3 Endangered Species

Gray bat (Myotis grisescens)

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Virginia big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus)

Louisiana – 0 Endangered Species

Louisiana has no mammalian species currently classified as endangered.

Maine – 0 Endangered Species

Maine has no mammalian species currently classified as endangered.

Maryland – 1 Endangered Species

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Massachusetts – 0 Endangered Species

Massachusetts has no mammalian species currently classified as endangered.

Michigan – 2 Endangered Species

Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Minnesota – 0 Endangered Species

Minnesota has no mammalian species currently classified as endangered.

Mississippi – 2 Endangered Species

Gray bat (Myotis grisescens)

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Missouri – 3 Endangered Species

Gray bat (Myotis grisescens)

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Ozark big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii ingens)

Montana – 1 Endangered Species

Black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes)

Nebraska – 0 Endangered Species

Nebraska has no mammalian species currently classified as endangered.

Nevada – 1 Endangered Species

Sierra Nevada red fox (Vulpes vulpes necator)

New Hampshire – 0 Endangered Species

New Hampshire has no mammalian species currently classified as endangered.

New Jersey – 1 Endangered Species

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

New Mexico – 5 Endangered Species

Black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes)

Jaguar (Panthera onca)

Mexican long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris nivalis)

Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi)

New Mexico meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius luteus)

New York – 1 Endangered Species

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

North Carolina – 4 Endangered Species

Carolina northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus)

Gray bat (Myotis grisescens)

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Virginia big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus)

North Dakota – 0 Endangered Species

North Dakota has no mammalian species currently classified as endangered.

Ohio – 1 Endangered Species

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Oklahoma – 3 Endangered Species

Gray bat (Myotis grisescens)

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Ozark big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii ingens)

Oregon – 1 Endangered Species

Gray wolf (Canis lupus)

Pennsylvania – 1 Endangered Species

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Rhode Island – 0 Endangered Species

Rhode Island has no mammalian species currently classified as endangered.

South Carolina – 0 Endangered Species

South Carolina has no mammalian species currently classified as endangered.

South Dakota – 1 Endangered Species

Black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes)

Tennessee – 4 Endangered Species

Carolina northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus)

Gray bat (Myotis grisescens)

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Virginia big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus)

Texas – 4 Endangered Species

Gulf Coast jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi cacomitli)

Mexican long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris nivalis)

Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi)

Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)

Utah – 0 Endangered Species

Utah has no mammalian species currently classified as endangered.

Vermont – 1 Endangered Species

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Virginia – 4 Endangered Species

Carolina northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus)

Gray bat (Myotis grisescens)

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Virginia big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus)

Washington – 2 Endangered Species

Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis)

Gray wolf (Canis lupus)

West Virginia – 3 Endangered Species

Gray bat (Myotis grisescens)

Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Virginia big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus)

Wisconsin – 1 Endangered Species

Gray wolf (Canis lupus)

Wyoming – 0 Endangered Species

Wyoming has no mammalian species currently classified as endangered.

We Can All Help Endangered Animals

Awareness

It is critical to be aware of the endangered species in your region. While awareness won’t solve the problem, the problem will never be solved without It. Learning and teaching others (along with combatting misinformation that is so pervasive in our digital world) is a powerful way to protect endangered species.

Habitat Protection

Experts generally agree the most important step in helping endangered animals is protecting their habitat. The number one reason species become endangered is the loss of their native habitat. Volunteering at a wildlife refuge, nature center, or other protected space is a great way to help protect these vital habitats.

Recycle and Properly Dispose of Waste

Reduce, reuse, recycle. You’ve heard it so much that it almost sounds hackneyed at this point, but it really does make a huge environmental impact. When it’s better for the environment, it’s better for endangered animals.

Dispose of waste properly and clean up litter. Again, this seems like such a small thing. But if everyone does the small things, it yields big results. Litter and improperly discarded waste can have all kinds of deleterious impacts on the environment and the animals that live in it.

Limit Chemical Pesticides

Limit or eliminate your use of synthetic pesticides. These chemicals can be harmful to pollinators. They also seep into the water and can have a harmful impact on the overall ecosystem. If pests are a problem in your lawn or garden, consider a natural alternative. For example, neem oil can be used to get rid of pests on garden plants without the harmful effects of synthetic pesticides.

Visit Parks and Wildlife Refuges

Visit a National Park or wildlife refuge. Not only is it fun and educational, but the funds from your visit go directly to help protect the areas and animals of the park, many of which are likely threatened or endangered.

Purchase a Zoo Membership

Become a member of an accredited zoo or aquarium. These organizations do so much to help conserve endangered species. Plus, you and your family will love the experiences at these wonderful places!

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/fotoguy22

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