This page lists 55 mammals.
3 are nonnative. Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division, Wildlife Conservation Section gives a total of 16; the 55 here are the mammals official sources name one by one.
Which mammals can hurt you
Official sources single out these mammals in Georgia, in their own words:
Rabies vector species (Georgia DPH). “Raccoons, skunks, and foxes are rabies vector species, and the most common terrestrial wildlife infected with rabies in Georgia. All bites and scratches by these animals must be considered possible exposures to the rabies virus.” Georgia Department of Public Health
Rabies vector species (Georgia DPH). “Raccoons, skunks, and foxes are rabies vector species, and the most common terrestrial wildlife infected with rabies in Georgia.” Georgia Department of Public Health
Rabies vector species (Georgia DPH). “Raccoons, skunks, and foxes are rabies vector species, and the most common terrestrial wildlife infected with rabies in Georgia.” Georgia Department of Public Health
Skunks
Rabies vector species (Georgia DPH). “Raccoons, skunks, and foxes are rabies vector species, and the most common terrestrial wildlife infected with rabies in Georgia.” Georgia Department of Public Health
Bats
Rabies. “Do not handle bats. If you pick one up, it is likely to bite. Very few bats are positive for rabies, but without prompt care the disease is fatal.” Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division
Can carry rabies and canine distemper (GA DNR). “Coyotes can carry diseases transmittable to pets and humans. … Can be transmitted to humans and pets through bite or saliva of an infected animal.” Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Large wildlife. “There are no recorded bear attacks on humans in Georgia, and no fatalities. There have only been three documented fatal black bear attacks in the Southeastern United States.” Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division
May carry diseases transmissible to humans incl. leprosy, reports rare (UGA Warnell/Extension). “Armadillos may carry diseases transmissible to humans, but reports are rare. Armadillos can acquire leprosy and are used in medical research to study this disease.” University of Georgia Warnell School
All 55 mammals
From A to Z. Do not handle them.
No confirmed photo of Appalachian Cottontail
Appalachian Cottontail
Sylvilagus obscurus
Conservation
Georgia Rare; GA state rank S1 (Critically Imperiled)
What the sources say
Habitat: Brushy areas in mountains with northern hardwood or oak-hickory forests (Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division, Wildlife Conservation Section)
“There are no recorded bear attacks on humans in Georgia, and no fatalities. There have only been three documented fatal black bear attacks in the Southeastern United States.” Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division
Size
Smokies: males average about 6 ft long, 3 ft at the shoulder and 250 lb in summer; females usually just over 100 lb. Missouri: 46 to 78 inches long, 86 to 600 lb.
How to recognize it
Straight facial profile, rounded erect ears, very short tail
Short curved claws for climbing
Where in Georgia
Bear populations exist in the north Georgia mountains, along the Ocmulgee River drainage in central Georgia, and in/around the Okefenokee Swamp in southeast Georgia. Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division
What the sources say
Habitat: Bears typically live in forested areas, favoring mature hardwood-pine forests (Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division)
No confirmed photo of Blackbeard's Whitetailed Deer
Blackbeard's Whitetailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus nigribarbis
Conservation
GA state rank SNR (Unranked)
What the sources say
Habitat: Maritime forest, pine flatwoods, and salt marshes on Blackbeard and Sapelo islands (Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division, Wildlife Conservation Section)
“Coyotes can carry diseases transmittable to pets and humans. … Can be transmitted to humans and pets through bite or saliva of an infected animal.” Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division
Size
About 3.5 to 4 feet long including the tail and roughly 2 feet tall at the shoulder; weight varies by region: Arizona 20 to 30 lb, Florida average about 28 lb, Georgia 25 to 45 lb
How to recognize it
Large pointed ears, long narrow nose, bushy black-tipped tail
Like a slender medium-sized dog, much smaller than a wolf
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Florida Black Bear
Ursus americanus floridanus
Conservation
GA state rank S4 (Apparently Secure)
What the sources say
Habitat: Large undeveloped wooded tracts in areas that include multiple forest types (Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division, Wildlife Conservation Section)
“Raccoons, skunks, and foxes are rabies vector species, and the most common terrestrial wildlife infected with rabies in Georgia.” Georgia Department of Public Health
“Armadillos may carry diseases transmissible to humans, but reports are rare. Armadillos can acquire leprosy and are used in medical research to study this disease.” University of Georgia Warnell School
Size
Cat-sized: 15-17 in long not counting the tail, 8-17 lb (FWC); 24-32 in including a 9.5-14.5 in tail (UGA).
How to recognize it
Bony skin plates that form a shell, which make it easy to identify
Long scaly tail, deer-like ears, long pig-like snout
Tail encased in 12 bony rings; no canine or incisor teeth
“Raccoons, skunks, and foxes are rabies vector species, and the most common terrestrial wildlife infected with rabies in Georgia …” Georgia Department of Public Health
“Raccoons, skunks, and foxes are rabies vector species, and the most common terrestrial wildlife infected with rabies in Georgia.” Georgia Department of Public Health
Habitat: Sandy well-drained soils in open pine woodlands with grassy or herbaceous groundcover; fields and grassy roadsides (Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division, Wildlife Conservation Section)
No confirmed photo of Southern Appalachian Woodrat
“Coyotes (Canis latrans) are extremely adaptable to their environment and can be found throughout suburban and urban areas. … Coyotes are a non-native species in Georgia and can be harvested year-round on private property.”
Bats of Georgia. Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
Black Bear Fact Sheet. Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. Revised August 2021; checked November 3, 2026.Quoted passages (3)
“There are no recorded bear attacks on humans in Georgia, and no fatalities. There have only been three documented fatal black bear attacks in the Southeastern United States.”
“Most nuisance issues can be resolved through simple actions, like removing bird feeders and outdoor pet food, or storing garbage in an area unavailable to bears, such as in a garage or enclosed building.”
“The breeding season is in July and cubs are born in the den in late January or February.”
Living with Coyotes (fact sheet). Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. updated May 2020; checked November 3, 2026.Quoted passages (3)
“Coyotes can carry diseases transmittable to pets and humans. … Can be transmitted to humans and pets through bite or saliva of an infected animal.”
“Do not feed or approach coyotes.”
“Coyotes (Canis latrans) are extremely adaptable to their environment and can be found throughout suburban and urban areas. … Coyotes are a non-native species in Georgia and can be harvested year-round on private property.”
“Raccoons, skunks, and foxes are rabies vector species, and the most common terrestrial wildlife infected with rabies in Georgia.”
“Raccoons, skunks, and foxes are rabies vector species, and the most common terrestrial wildlife infected with rabies in Georgia. All bites and scratches by these animals must be considered possible exposures to the rabies virus.”
WSFNR-17-36 Nine-banded Armadillo (M. T. Mengak). University of Georgia Warnell School (Extension publication series; PDF hosted on gadnrle.org). WSFNR-17-36; checked November 3, 2026.Quoted passages (2)
“No other mammal in Georgia has bony skin plates or a ‘shell’, which makes the armadillo easy to identify.”
“Armadillos may carry diseases transmissible to humans, but reports are rare. Armadillos can acquire leprosy and are used in medical research to study this disease.”
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