For up-to-date information on North Carolina licenses, regulations and other wildlife resources, please visit the agency’s website NCWildlife.org.
A class of warm-blooded animals with fur or hair on their bodies. Mammals are vertebrates. The young are born live and feed on milk from their mothers. There are 121 species of mammals in North Carolina, 21 of which are protected. More information on some of our state's mammals is provided below.
Armadillo, Nine-banded
Dasypus novemcinctus
More Information
Bat
Chiroptera
Bear, Black
Ursus americanus
Beaver
Castor canadensis
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
Cougar, Eastern
Felis concolor
Profile
Coyote
Canis latrans
Deer, White-tailed
Odocoileus virginianus
Elk
Cervus canadensis
Evaluation of the Feasibility of Establishing a Huntable Elk Population in North Carolina (PDF)
Feral Swine
Sus scrofa
Fox, Gray
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
Fox, Red
Vulpes vulpes
Groundhog
Marmota monax
Mink
Neovison vison
Muskrat
Ondatra zibethicus
Nutria
Myocastor coypus
Opossum, Virginia
Didelphis virginiana
More information
Otter, River
Lontra canadensis
Rabbit, Appalachian Cottontail
Sylvilagus obscurus
Rabbit, Eastern Cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus
Rabbit, Marsh
Sylvilagus palustris
Raccoon
Procyon lotor
Skunk, Spotted
Spilogale putorius
Skunk, Striped
Mephitis mephitis
Squirrel, Carolina Northern Flying
Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus
Squirrel, Fox
Sciurus niger
Squirrel, Gray
Sciurus carolinensis
Squirrel, Southern Flying
Glaucomys volans
Weasel, Long-tailed
Mustela frenata
Range Map (PDF)
Wolf, Red
Canis rufus
American Shad Alosa sapidissima
American Shad Information
Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus
Profile (PDF)
Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Black Crappie Information
Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus
Blue Catfish Information
Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus
Bluegill Information
Bodie Bass (hybrid striped bass) Morone saxatilis x Morone chrysops
Bodie Bass Information
Bowfin Amia calva
Bowfin Information
Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis
Brook Trout Information
Brown Trout Salmo trutta
Brown Trout Information
Bullhead Catfish Ameiurus species
Bullhead Catfish Information
Cape Fear Shiner Notropis mekistocholas
Cape Fear Shiner Information
Carolina Madtom Noturus furiosus
Carolina Madtom Information
Carolina Redhorse Moxostoma sp. ‘Carolina’
Carolina Redhorse Information
Chain Pickerel Esox niger
Chain Pickerel Information
Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus
Channel Catfish Information
Common Carp Cyprinus carpio
Common Carp Information
Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris
Flathead Catfish Information
Golden Topminnow Fundulus chrysotus
Golden Topminnow Information
Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus
Green Sunfish Information
Hickory Shad Alosa mediocris
Hickory Shad Information
Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides
Largemouth Bass Information
Muskellunge Esox masquinongy
Muskellunge Information
Pirate Perch Aphredoderus sayanus
Pirate Perch Information
Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus
Pumpkinseed Information
Rainbow Trout Oncorhyncus mykiss
Rainbow Trout Information
Redbreast Sunfish Lepomis auritus
Redbreast Sunfish Information
Redear Sunfish Lepomis microlophus
Redear Sunfish Information
Roanoke Bass Ambloplites cavifrons
Roanoke Bass Information
Roanoke Hogsucker Hypentelium roanokense
Roanoke Hogsucker Information
Roanoke Logperch Percina rex
Roanoke Logperch Information
Robust Redhorse Moxostoma robustum
Robust Redhorse Information
Fact sheet (low resolution) Fact sheet (high resolution)
Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris
Rock Bass Information
Sea Lamprey Petromyzon marinus
Sea Lamprey Information
Sicklefin Redhorse Moxostoma sp.
Sicklefin Redhorse Information
Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu
Smallmouth Bass Information
Spotfin Chub Erimonax monachus
Spotfin Chub Information
Spotted Bass Micropterus punctulatus
Spotted Bass Information
Striped Bass Morone saxatilis
Striped Bass Information
Tangerine Darter Percina aurantiaca
Tangerine Darter Information
Waccamaw Silverside Menidia extensa
Waccamaw Silverside Information
Walleye Sander vitreus
Walleye Information
Warmouth Lepomis gulosus
Warmouth Information
White Bass Morone chrysops
White Bass Information
White Catfish Ameiurus catus
White Catfish Information
White Crappie Pomoxis annularis
White Crappie Information
White Perch Morone americana
White Perch Information
Yellow Perch Perca flavescens
Yellow Perch Information
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
Accipitridae Family
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Anatidae Family
American Wigeon (Anas americana)
Black Duck (Anas rubripes)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Canvasback Duck (Aythya valisineria)
Mallard Duck (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)
Ardeidae Family
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
Columbidae Family
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Falconidae Family
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Laridae Family
Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)
Odontophoridae Family
Northern Bobwhite Quail (Colinus virginianus)
Pandionidae Family
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Phasianidae Family
Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbelius)
Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)
Picidae Family
Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis)
Rallidae Family
Clapper Rail (Rallus crepitans)
Scolopacidae Family
American Woodcock (Scolopax minor)
Strigidae Family
Barred Owl (Strix varia)
Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
Bog Turtle (Glyptemys (Clemmys) muhlenbergii)
Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina
Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix)
Corn Snake Elaphe guttata (Pantherophis guttatus)
Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus)
Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin)
Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis)
Eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta picta)
Eastern Fence Lizard Sceloporus undulatus
Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)
Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
Rat Snake Elaphe obsoleta (Pantherophis alleghaniensis)
Frogs
Copes & Common Gray Treefrog
American Bullfrog
Carolina Gopher Frog
Carpenter Frog
Cricket Frog, Northern & Southern
Green Frog
Little Grass Frog
Mountain Chorus Frog
Brimley's Chorus Frog
Ornate Chorus Frog
Pickerel Frog
Southern Chorus Frog
Spring Peeper
Upland Chorus Frog
Wood Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Barking Treefrog
Green Treefrog
Pine Barrens Treefrog
Pine Woods Treefrog
Squirrel Treefrog
Salamander
Eastern Newt
Eastern Tiger Salamander
Salamanders
Green Salamander
Eastern Hellbender
Seepage Salamander
Marbled Salamander
Toads
Fowler's Toad
American Toad
Eastern Narrowmouth Toad
Eastern Spadefoot
Oak Toad
Southern Toad
Additional Information
Credit: TWRA-Carl Williams
Mollusks are a group that includes snails, slugs, and mussels. They are invertebrate animals with soft, unsegmented bodies. Most have hard, external shells.
Management Recommendations
Download the Protected Wildlife Species of NC document
"Endangered" status includes any native species whose continued existence as a viable component of the state's fauna is determined to be in jeopardy and/or is designated "Endangered" by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act.
"Extirpated" status is in reference to a population, no longer present as live individuals in a particular area.
A status of "Threatened" includes any native species likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range within the state and/or is designated "Threatened" by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act.
The "Special Concern" designation applies to any species that is determined to require monitoring.
“Nongame” status includes species that are not classified as game or furbearer. These species are regulated by the NCWRC.
“Game” status includes species that can be hunted in North Carolina.
“Big Game” status includes species that can be hunted and must be registered with the NCWRC upon harvest.
“Furbearer” status includes species that can be trapped in North Carolina.
"Inland Game Fish" may be taken only with a hook and line for exceptions see General Regulations For Inland Game Fish.
"Nongame Fish" status includes any fish not classified as a game fish when found in inland fishing waters and includes shellfish and crustaceans.
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Mailing Address:1701 Mail Service CenterRaleigh, NC 27699-1700
Report Wildlife Violations:1-800-662-7137
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