American Badger
Taxidea taxus
Iowa Mammals: Species List With Pictures
Last checked November 3, 2026 against official sources.
On this page
This page lists 81 mammals: all from Iowa DNR's List of Mammals Evaluated by the IWAP. 3 are nonnative.
Which mammals can hurt you
Official sources single out these mammals in Iowa, in their own words:
-
Bats (all Iowa bats)
Rabies. “For example, wild animals (especially skunks and bats) most often get rabies in Iowa.” Iowa HHS
-
Skunks (striped and plains spotted skunk)
Rabies. “For example, wild animals (especially skunks and bats) most often get rabies in Iowa.” Iowa HHS
-
Photo: Marco Antonino Ramos Rodríguez · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized Northern Raccoon
Rabies. “If the bite is from wildlife known to carry rabies (e.g. skunks or raccoons)” Iowa HHS
All 81 mammals
From A to Z. Do not handle them.
American Bison
Bos bison
- Conservation
- extirpated from Iowa (IWAP); No free-ranging populations
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American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
- 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
No confirmed photo of American Ermine
American Ermine
Mustela richardsonii
- Conservation
- Iowa Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)
American Marten
Martes americana
- Conservation
- extirpated from Iowa (IWAP)
No confirmed photo of American Mink
American Mink
Neogale vison
No confirmed photo of Big Brown Bat
Big Brown Bat
Eptesicus fuscus
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Bobcat
Lynx rufus
- Size
- Total length 18 to 50 inches, tail 3 to 8 inches, weight 8 to 49 pounds (Missouri). About twice the size of a house cat.
- How to recognize it
- Short 'bobbed' tail, 4 to 8 inches, with a black tip and white underneath (Arizona). New Mexico instead describes black bars on top, white underneath and a white tip.
- Pointed ears with tufts at the tips, often with cheek tufts
- Backs of the ears are black with a light central spot
No confirmed photo of Brazilian Free-tailed Bat
Brazilian Free-tailed Bat
Tadarida brasiliensis
Brown Rat
Rattus norvegicus
Canadian Lynx
Lynx canadensis
- Conservation
- extirpated from Iowa (IWAP)
Common Muskrat
Ondatra zibethicus
- Conservation
- Iowa Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)
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Coyote
Canis latrans
- 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
- Paw track about 2 inches long (Florida)
No confirmed photo of Coypu
Coypu
Myocaster coypus
Domestic Cat
Felis catus
No confirmed photo of Domestic Dog
Domestic Dog
Canis familiaris
Eastern Chipmunk
Tamias striatus
Eastern Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus
Eastern Deermouse
Peromyscus maniculatus
Eastern Fox Squirrel
Sciurus niger
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
No confirmed photo of Eastern Meadow Vole
Eastern Meadow Vole
Microtus pennsylvanicus
No confirmed photo of Eastern Mole
Eastern Mole
Scalopus aquaticus
No confirmed photo of Eastern Pygmy Shrew
Eastern Pygmy Shrew
Sorex hoyi
- Conservation
- extirpated from Iowa (IWAP)
Eastern Red Bat
Lasiurus borealis
No confirmed photo of Eastern Woodrat
Eastern Woodrat
Neotoma floridana
- Conservation
- extirpated from Iowa (IWAP); Based on fossil evidence
No confirmed photo of Elliot’s Short-tailed Shrew
Elliot’s Short-tailed Shrew
Blarina hylophaga
Eurasian Wild Pig
Sus scrofa
- Size
- Adults average 75 to 250 pounds, but some get twice as large. They can stand up to 3 feet tall and reach 5 feet long, and males (boars) are larger than females (sows). FWC says Florida wild hogs can weigh more than 150 pounds and be 5 to 6 feet long. Ohio State Extension says Ohio adults typically weigh 125 to 200 pounds.
- How to recognize it
- Look much like domestic hogs but are generally thinner, with thicker hides of coarse, bristly hair and longer tusks
- Four continuously growing tusks, 2 on top and 2 below
- Russian (Eurasian) boar type: long, straight, narrow snout; dark-colored or camouflage coat; light-tipped bristles
Fisher
Pekania pennanti
- Size
- New York: males 7 to 15 pounds and 35 to 47 inches; females 3 to 7 pounds and 30 to 37 inches. Figures vary by state.
- How to recognize it
- Low to the ground with short legs, small ears and a well-furred tail
- Tail about one-third of total length
- Five toes and sharp semi-retractable claws; bright green eyeshine at night
No confirmed photo of Franklin’s Ground Squirrel
Franklin’s Ground Squirrel
Poliocitellus franklinii
- Conservation
- Iowa Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)
Gray Wolf
Canis lupus
- Size
- Adults about 40 to 175 pounds depending on sex and region; on average about five to six feet long (Isle Royale), up to 6 feet including the tail (Washington), and 26 to 34 inches at the shoulder. Twice the size of a coyote.
- How to recognize it
- Longer legs, larger feet, wider head and snout, shorter ears, narrow body and straight tail compared with most coyotes and dogs.
- Tracks about 5 inches long by 4 inches wide, with claws showing.
- Long, drawn-out howls, audible up to five miles.
No confirmed photo of Hispid Cotton Rat
Hispid Cotton Rat
Sigmodon hispidus
House Mouse
Mus musculus
No confirmed photo of Indiana Myotis (Indiana Bat)
Indiana Myotis (Indiana Bat)
Myotis sodalis
No confirmed photo of Least Weasel
Least Weasel
Mustela nivalis
- Conservation
- Iowa Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)
No confirmed photo of Little Brown Myotis
Little Brown Myotis
Myotis lucifugus
- Conservation
- state threatened; Iowa Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)
Long-tailed Weasel
Neogale frenata
- Conservation
- Iowa Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)
No confirmed photo of Masked Shrew
Masked Shrew
Sorex cinereus
Moose
Alces alces
- Size
- Alaska: adults 800 lb (small cow) to 1,600 lb (large bull), up to almost 6 feet tall. Elsewhere, NY DEC: bulls 600-1,200 lb, cows 500-800 lb.
- How to recognize it
- "Bell": flap of skin and hair hanging from the throat (both sexes)
- Antlers on males only; flat and palmate (hand-shaped), up to five feet wide
- Antlers only on males (ADF&G)
Mule Deer
Odocoileus hemionus
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North American Beaver
Castor canadensis
No confirmed photo of North American Evening Bat
North American Evening Bat
Nycticeius humeralis
No confirmed photo of North American Least Shrew
North American Least Shrew
Cryptotis parvus
- Conservation
- state threatened; Iowa Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)
North American Porcupine
Erethizon dorsatum
- Size
- Adults about 30 inches including a 6- to 10-inch tail, 9 to 15 pounds, older adults up to 20 pounds (Pennsylvania). Massachusetts: 25-31 inches, averaging 12 pounds in early spring to 20 in fall. Minnesota: 24 to 40 inches, 18 to 35 pounds.
- How to recognize it
- Coat of quills; up to 30,000
- Only North American mammal with coat hairs modified as quills
- Short legs, long claws, high-arching back
- Conservation
- extirpated from Iowa (IWAP)
North American Red Squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
North American River Otter
Lontra canadensis
No confirmed photo of Northeastern Marsh Rice Rat
Northeastern Marsh Rice Rat
Oryzomys palustris
- Conservation
- extirpated from Iowa (IWAP); Based on fossil evidence
No confirmed photo of Northern Grasshopper Mouse
Northern Grasshopper Mouse
Onychomys leucogaster
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Northern Gray Fox
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
- Conservation
- state special concern (IWAP code I-SC; not protected by the T&E law); Iowa Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)
Northern Hoary Bat
Lasiurus cinereus
No confirmed photo of Northern Meadow Jumping Mouse
Northern Meadow Jumping Mouse
Zapus hudsonius
No confirmed photo of Northern Myotis (Northern long-eared bat)
Northern Myotis (Northern long-eared bat)
Myotis septentrionalis
Northern Raccoon
Procyon lotor
- Danger to people
- “If the bite is from wildlife known to carry rabies (e.g. skunks or raccoons)” Iowa HHS
No confirmed photo of Northern Short-tailed Shrew
Northern Short-tailed Shrew
Blarina brevicauda
No confirmed photo of Peale’s Free-tailed Bat
Peale’s Free-tailed Bat
Nyctinomops macrotis
No confirmed photo of Plains Pocket Gopher
Plains Pocket Gopher
Geomys bursarius
- Conservation
- state threatened; Iowa Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)
No confirmed photo of Plains Pocket Mouse
Plains Pocket Mouse
Perognathus flavescens
- Conservation
- state threatened; IWAP code I-PT (not defined in the appendix legend); Iowa Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)
No confirmed photo of Plains Spotted Skunk
Plains Spotted Skunk
Spilogale interrupta
- Conservation
- state endangered; Iowa Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)
No confirmed photo of Prairie Shrew
Prairie Shrew
Sorex haydeni
- Conservation
- Iowa Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)
No confirmed photo of Prairie Vole
Prairie Vole
Microtus ochrogaster
Pronghorn
Antilocapra americana
- Conservation
- extirpated from Iowa (IWAP)
Puma
Puma concolor
- Size
- Total length 5 to 8.5 feet including a 21 to 37.5 inch tail; males 79 to 265 lb, females 64 to 141 lb (Missouri Department of Conservation).
- How to recognize it
- Very large, slender cat with a small head, small rounded ears without tufts and a long, heavy tail.
- The tail may be one-third of the total length; much larger than a bobcat or lynx.
- Tracks: 2.75 to 3.75 inches wide, three lobes at the bottom of the heel pad, claw marks usually absent.
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
Silver-haired Bat
Lasionycteris noctivagans
No confirmed photo of Southern Bog Lemming
Southern Bog Lemming
Synaptomys cooperi
- Conservation
- state endangered; Iowa Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)
No confirmed photo of Southern Flying Squirrel
Southern Flying Squirrel
Glaucomys volans
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Southern Long-nosed Armadillo
Dasypus novemcinctus
- 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
No confirmed photo of Southern Red-backed Vole
Southern Red-backed Vole
Clethrionomys gapperi
- Conservation
- extirpated from Iowa (IWAP)
Striped Skunk
Mephitis mephitis
Swift Fox
Vulpes velox
Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel
Ictidomys tridecemlineatus
Tricolored Bat
Perimyotis subflavus
- Conservation
- state threatened; proposed federal endangered (IWAP code F-PE); Iowa Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)
Virginia Opossum
Didelphis virginiana
- Size
- Weighs 4 to 7 lb and stands 6 to 8 inches high at the shoulder (South Carolina DNR); about the size of a house cat
- How to recognize it
- Long pointed nose, black hairless ears, dark eyes, nearly hairless grasping (prehensile) tail
- Long scaly tail and a pointed snout ending in a pink nose
- Opposable thumb-like big toe (hallux) on each hind foot
No confirmed photo of Wapiti (Elk)
Wapiti (Elk)
Cervus canadensis
- Conservation
- extirpated from Iowa (IWAP)
No confirmed photo of Western Harvest Mouse
Western Harvest Mouse
Reithrodontomys megalotis
No confirmed photo of White-footed Deermouse
White-footed Deermouse
Peromyscus leucopus
No confirmed photo of White-tailed Deer
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
White-tailed Jackrabbit
Lepus townsendii
- Conservation
- state threatened; Iowa Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)
No confirmed photo of Wolverine
Wolverine
Gulo gulo
Woodchuck
Marmota monax
No confirmed photo of Woodland Vole
Woodland Vole
Microtus pinetorum
- Conservation
- Iowa Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)
Mammals people confuse
Coyote or Gray wolf?
Coyote Not stated
Gray wolf Not stated
NY DEC: gray wolves are much larger (females typically 50-100 lb, males 70-145 lb, 5-6 ft nose to tail, 27-33 in at the shoulder); eastern coyotes rarely exceed 50 lb and generally stand under 2 ft at the shoulder. Wolves have small rounded ears and a short blocky snout; coyotes have larger, more pointed ears (can look rounded in winter coat) and a long, narrow, pointed snout. Coyote tracks are typically 3 x 2 in, wolf tracks about 5 x 4 in. NY DEC says most wolf reports in New York were coyotes, dogs or wolf-dog hybrids.
Bobcat or Mountain lion (cougar)?
Bobcat Not stated
Mountain lion (cougar) Not stated
Cougars are one color (yellow-brown to light cinnamon) with a long tail. The bobcat's tail is short and its coat is spotted. TWRA says cougars are many times larger and longer, with a very long tail.
Bobcat or Canada lynx?
Bobcat Not stated
Canada lynx Not stated
A lynx has longer ear tufts and large, fur-covered feet (3.5 to 4.5 inches wide). A bobcat's feet are small and hairless (up to 2.5 inches). A lynx's tail has a black tip and no white underneath; a bobcat's tail is white underneath. Do not use the tail tip alone, because agencies describe the bobcat's tip differently (New Mexico white, Arizona black).
Bobcat or Domestic cat?
Bobcat Not stated
Domestic cat Not stated
TWRA says the domestic cat is smaller, usually has a longer tail and is not spotted with black. NCWRC says a bobcat is about twice as large, and South Carolina DNR says its legs are longer. Tracks of young bobcats are easily confused with house cat tracks (Missouri).
Photos show typical adults; individuals vary. Never get close to compare.
When mammals are active in Iowa
Records of mammals in Iowa peak in March and May to August. They show when people record mammals, not how many there are (about month bars).
- Active season for bears in Iowa: late May to late June (Iowa DNR). Iowa DNR
If you are bitten or stung
Call 911 or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 right away. Poison Help connects you to your local poison center, any time of day.
Official advice from Iowa DNR:
- Bears: remove food attractants (pet food, grills, trash, bird feeders) when a bear is in the area. Iowa DNR
How to report
Aquatic invasive species: report suspected sightings to the nearest Iowa DNR fisheries station or by email (address on the DNR AIS page, [email protected] as decoded from the page link). Elk sightings: local conservation officer or wildlife field staff. Nuisance wildlife in a home: a DNR-licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator. Iowa DNR
What official sources say
Are there bears in Iowa?
No. Iowa DNR (2026): Iowa does not currently have a black bear population; since 2014 two to three bears have wandered through each year, mainly in northeast Iowa. Iowa DNR
“Unlike its northern neighbors – and most other states in the U.S. – Iowa does not currently have a black bear population.”
Are there mountain lions in Iowa?
No. Iowa DNR: young males from South Dakota and Nebraska sometimes pass through; there are no breeding populations in Iowa. Iowa DNR
“So they often continue moving on, which means there are no breeding populations in Iowa.”
Are there moose in Iowa?
Rarely. Iowa DNR: a moose occasionally wanders into Iowa from northern Minnesota; moose are protected in Iowa. Iowa DNR
“From time to time, a moose will wander into Iowa from northern Minnesota.”
About this list
The species list comes from List of Mammals Evaluated by the IWAP (Iowa Wildlife Action Plan 2025, Appendix 7) (Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR), 2025 IWAP).
Venom labels come only from official sources and link to them; "Not stated" never means harmless. How labels work.
"Nonnative" and "Invasive" follow the wording of the source list. See invasive species in Iowa.
Sources
- Mission, Vision & Leadership. Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR). sitemap lastmod 2024-11-20; checked November 3, 2026.
- Iowa Wildlife Action Plan (2025 revision) - All Appendices (Appendix 3 amphibians, 4 reptiles, 5-6 birds, 7 mammals, 11 bumble bees, 16 T&E). Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR). Plan submitted to USFWS December 31, 2025 and approved; checked November 3, 2026.
- Rabies. Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (2)
“If the bite is from wildlife known to carry rabies (e.g. skunks or raccoons)”
“For example, wild animals (especially skunks and bats) most often get rabies in Iowa.”
- Black bears becoming regular visitors in Northeast Iowa (news release). Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR). May 12, 2026; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (3)
“We humans can take steps to live with bears much like our neighboring states – usually that means simply taking away food attractants when a bear is in the area.”
“We’re heading in to the active season for bears – late May to late June – which coincides with the breeding season.”
“Unlike its northern neighbors – and most other states in the U.S. – Iowa does not currently have a black bear population.”
- Aquatic Invasive Species. Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR). sitemap lastmod 2026-02-23; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (1)
“Learn to identify aquatic invasive species and report any suspected sightings to the nearest DNR fisheries station.”
- Occasional Wildlife Visitors. Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR). sitemap lastmod 2025-12-22; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (2)
“So they often continue moving on, which means there are no breeding populations in Iowa.”
“From time to time, a moose will wander into Iowa from northern Minnesota.”
- GBIF.org occurrence records, human observations licensed CC0 1.0 or CC BY 4.0 only, accessed November 3, 2026. The datasets behind these counts are listed on our Sources page.