Tanzanian Mammals – A List of Recorded Species in the Country
Table of Contents
Mammals found in Tanzania are all captured here. Tanzania has two critically endangered animal species, 19 vulnerable species, 13 endangered species, and 17 near threatened species.
Tags are utilized to emphasize the conservation status of each species as determined by the IUCN; examples are:
EX: Extinct –The species are all dead.
EW: Endangered in the wild –Â They are only known to exist in captivity or living in naturalized population well beyond their historic range.
CR: Stands for Critically Endangered –Â The species faces an exceedingly high risk of extinction in the wild.
EN: Endangered species –Â The species face an exceedingly high risk of extinction in the wild.
VU: Stands for Vulnerable –Â The species faces a significant risk of extinction in the wild.
NT: Stands for Near Threatened –Â The species is not now considered endangered but will likely become so in the future.
LC: Stands for Least Care –Â These species are not currently endangered in the wild.
DD: Stands for Data Deficit – There is insufficient data to determine the species’ extinction danger.
Some species of Tanzania mammals were evaluated using a different set of criteria. This method assigns the following categories to species instead of near threatened and least concern:
(LR/CD) For Lower Risk Or Conservation Dependent –Â Species were the target of conservation programs and may have shifted into a higher risk category if those programs were terminated.
LR/NT For Low Risk Or Near/Almost Threatened –Â Species on the verge of being classed as vulnerable are not the focus of conservation efforts.
(LR/LC) For Lower Risk Or Least Concern –Â This species has no known threats.
List of Mammals of Tanzania – Order, Family, Subfamily, Genus, and Categories
The Order (golden moles and tenrecs) of Afrosoricida
These include the southern African golden moles and tenrecs of Madagascar. These Tanzania mammals were traditionally in the Insectivora order.Â
Family
Subfamily
Genus
Categories
Tenrecidae (tenrecs)
Potamogalinae
Potamogale
Giant otter shrew,     P. velox LC
Chrysochloridae
Chrysochlorinae
Chrysochlorinae
Stuhlmann’s golden mole,Â
C. stuhlmanni LC
The Order (elephant shrews) of Macroscelidea
These elephant shrews, or sengis, sometimes called jumping shrews, are native to southern Africa. Their common English name refers to their long, flexible snout and similarity to real shrews.
The aardvark is the sole member of the order Tubulidentata. They are distinguished by teeth that lack a pulp cavity and form thin tubes that are constantly worn down and replaced.
Family
Genus
Categories
Orycteropodidae
Orycteropus
  Aardvark, O. afer LC
The Order (hyraxes) of Hyracoidea
These contain four hyraxes species: thickset, small, herbivorous animals. They are well-furred, like a domestic cat size, with a body that’s round and a stumpy tail. Found only in Middle East and the Africa.
Family
Genus
Genus
Genus
Procaviidae (hyraxes)
Dendrohyrax
Western tree hyrax, Dendrohyrax dorsalis LC
Southern tree hyrax, Dendrohyrax arboreus LC
Eastern tree hyrax, Dendrohyrax validus NT
Heterohyrax
Yellow-spotted rock hyrax, Heterohyrax brucei LC
Procavia
Cape hyrax, Procavia capensis LC
The Order (elephants) of Proboscidea
Elephants are enormous extant terrestrial creatures, consisting of three kinds.
Family
Genus
Categories
Elephantidae (elephants)
Loxodonta
  African bush elephant, L. africana EN
The Order (dugongs and manatees): Sirenia
Sirenia is a group of herbivorous, totally aquatic mammals that live in rivers, estuaries, coastal marine waters, swamps, and marine wetlands. All four are threatened with extinction.
Family
Genus
Categories
Dugongidae
Dugong
  Dugong, D. dugon VU
The Order of Primates
Humans and their closest relatives are classified as Primates, which includes lemurs, tarsiers, lorisoids, apes, and monkeys.
S/N
1
Suborder
Strepsirrhini
2
Infraorder
Lemuriformes
3
Superfamily
Lorisoidea
4
Family
Galagidae
5
Genus
Galagoides
Prince Demidoff’s bushbaby, Galagoides demidovii LR/lc
Rodents are the most innumerable mammals, accounting for more than 40% of all species. Having two incisors in each jaw which grow continuously but kept short for gnawing. Although most rodents are small, the capybara can weigh 45 kg (99 lb).
Lagomorphs are divided into two families: Leporidae (hares and rabbits) and Ochotonidae (pikas). Similar to rodents and classified as a superfamily Order until the early twentieth century, they are now regarded as a different order. They differ from rodents in several ways, including having four incisors in the upper jaw rather than two.
Family
Genus
Categories
Leporidae (rabbits, hares)
Pronolagus
Smith’s red rock hare, Pronolagus rupestris LR/lc
Lepus
Cape hare, Lepus capensis LR/lc
African savanna hare, Lepus microtis LR/lc
The Order (hedgehogs and gymnures) of Erinaceomorpha
The order Erinaceomorpha comprises a single family, Erinaceidae, which includes hedgehogs and gymnures. Hedgehogs can be identified by their spines, while gymnures resemble giant rats.
Family
Subfamily
Genus
Erinaceidae (hedgehogs)
Erinaceinae
Atelerix
Four-toed hedgehog,Atelerix albiventris LR/lc
The Order (shrews, moles, and solenodons) of Soricomorpha
Insectivorous animals are “shrew-forms.” Shrews and solenodons are similar to mice, while moles are large borrowers.
Bats are the only mammals that can soar for extended periods. The existence of a flying membrane that stretches between elongated bones in hand and wrist to form the wing structure distinguishes bats. While we don’t think of bats as “typical mammals,” they account for more than 20% of all mammals. The evolutionary novelty of flight is responsible for its widespread radiation and diversity.
Rhinolophus fumigatus LC, Rüppell’s horseshoe bat,
Rhinolophus landeri LC, Lander’s horseshoe bat,Â
Rhinolophus simulator LC, horseshoe bat,
Rhinolophus maendeleo DD, Maendeleo horseshoe bat,
Rhinolophus swinnyi NT, Swinny’s horseshoe bat,
40
Subfamily
Hipposiderinae
41
Genus
Asellia
Trident leaf-nosed bat, Asellia tridens LC
42
Genus
Cloeotis
Percival’s trident bat, Cloeotis percivali VU
43
Genus
Hipposideros
Cyclops roundleaf bat, Hipposideros cyclops LC
Sundevall’s roundleaf bat, Hipposideros caffer LC
Giant roundleaf bat, Hipposideros gigas LC
Noack’s roundleaf bat, Hipposideros ruber LC
Commerson’s roundleaf bat, Hipposideros marungensis NT
44
Genus
Triaenops
Persian trident bat, Triaenops persicus LC
The Order (pangolins) of PholidotaÂ
The Order (pangolins) of Pholidota
This includes the eight pangolin species. Pangolins are anteaters, with the same formidable claws, extended snout, and long tongue as other unrelated anteater species.Â
Family
Genus
Categories
Manidae
Manis
Ground pangolin, Manis temminckii LR/nt
Giant pangolin, Manis gigantea LR/lc
Tree pangolin, Manis tricuspis LR/lc
The Order (whales) of Cetacea
Dolphins, whales, and porpoises are all members of the Cetacea order. These animals are best adapted to an aquatic existence, spindle-shaped, virtually hairless and protected by a coating of blubber, forelimbs, and tail modified to facilitate underwater propulsion.
These ungulates are mammals that browse and graze. They are typically very huge with varying sizes, a large middle toe and simple stomachs.Â
Family
Genus
Categories
The Equidae; (horses etc.)
Equus
Grant’s zebra, Equus quagga boehmi NT
Plains zebra
Rhinocerotidae
Diceros
Black rhinoceros
Eastern black rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis michaeli CR
The Order (even-toed ungulates) of Artiodactyla
Even-toed ungulates are ungulates whose weight is distributed almost evenly between the third and fourth toes, rather than primarily or wholly by the third, as in perissodactyls. There are over 220 artiodactyl species, many of which are economically significant to humans.
