List of mammals of the Democratic Republic of the Congo explained

This is a list of the mammal species recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Of the mammal species in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, two are critically endangered, six are endangered, twenty-one are vulnerable, and thirty-five are near threatened.[1]

The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:

EX ExtinctNo reasonable doubt that the last individual has died.
EW Extinct in the wildKnown only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range.
CR Critically endangeredThe species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild.
EN EndangeredThe species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
VU VulnerableThe species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
NT Near threatenedThe species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to do so in the future.
LC Least concernThere are no current identifiable risks to the species.
DD Data deficientThere is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species.

Some species were assessed using an earlier set of criteria. Species assessed using this system have the following instead of near threatened and least concern categories:

LR/cd Lower risk/conservation dependent Species which were the focus of conservation programmes and may have moved into a higher risk category if that programme was discontinued.
LR/nt Lower risk/near threatened Species which are close to being classified as vulnerable but are not the subject of conservation programmes.
LR/lc Lower risk/least concern Species for which there are no identifiable risks.

Order: Afrosoricida (tenrecs and golden moles)

The order Afrosoricida contains the golden moles of southern Africa and the tenrecs of Madagascar and Africa, two families of small mammals that were traditionally part of the order Insectivora.

Order: Macroscelidea (elephant shrews)

Often called sengi, the elephant shrews or jumping shrews are native to southern Africa. Their common English name derives from their elongated flexible snout and their resemblance to the true shrews.

Order: Tubulidentata (aardvarks)

The order Tubulidentata consists of a single species, the aardvark. Tubulidentata are characterised by their teeth which lack a pulp cavity and form thin tubes which are continuously worn down and replaced.

Order: Hyracoidea (hyraxes)

The hyraxes are any of four species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. About the size of a domestic cat they are well-furred, with rounded bodies and a stumpy tail. They are native to Africa and the Middle East.

Order: Proboscidea (elephants)

The elephants comprise three living species and are the largest living land animals.

Order: Sirenia (manatees and dugongs)

Sirenia is an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit rivers, estuaries, coastal marine waters, swamps, and marine wetlands. All four species are endangered.

Order: Primates

The order Primates contains humans and their closest relatives: lemurs, lorisoids, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes.

Order: Rodentia (rodents)

Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to 45kg (99lb).

Order: Lagomorpha (lagomorphs)

The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early 20th century, they have since been considered a separate order. They differ from rodents in a number of physical characteristics, such as having four incisors in the upper jaw rather than two.

Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)

The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.

Order: Chiroptera (bats)

The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.

Order: Pholidota (pangolins)

The order Pholidota comprises the eight species of pangolin. Pangolins are anteaters and have the powerful claws, elongated snout and long tongue seen in the other unrelated anteater species.

Order: Cetacea (whales)

The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. They are the mammals most fully adapted to aquatic life with a spindle-shaped nearly hairless body, protected by a thick layer of blubber, and forelimbs and tail modified to provide propulsion underwater.

EN[5] (formerly in large numbers)[6] EN[5] EN[5] DD DD DD DD DD DD DD DD DD NT (now rare) DD DD DD DD DD DD DD DD DD

Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)

There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.

Order: Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates)

The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and grazing mammals. They are usually large to very large, and have relatively simple stomachs and a large middle toe.

Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)

The even-toed ungulates are ungulates whose weight is borne about equally by the third and fourth toes, rather than mostly or entirely by the third as in perissodactyls. There are about 220 artiodactyl species, including many that are of great economic importance to humans.

External links

See also

Notes and References

  1. This list is derived from the IUCN Red List which lists species of mammals and includes those mammals that have recently been classified as extinct (since 1500 AD). The taxonomy and naming of the individual species is based on those used in existing Wikipedia articles as of 21 May 2007 and supplemented by the common names and taxonomy from the IUCN, Smithsonian Institution, or University of Michigan where no Wikipedia article was available.
  2. Gobush, K.S. . Edwards, C.T.T. . Balfour, D. . Wittemyer, G. . Maisels, F. . Taylor, R.D. . 2021 . Loxodonta africana . 2021 . e.T181008073A204401095 . 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T181008073A204401095.en . 18 November 2021.
  3. Gobush, K.S. . Edwards, C.T.T. . Maisels, F. . Wittemyer, G. . Balfour, D. . Taylor, R.D. . 2021 . Loxodonta cyclotis . 2021 . e.T181007989A204404464 . 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T181007989A204404464.en . 18 November 2021.
  4. Rhinolophus blasii . Taylor, P. . 2016 . e.T19515A21972073.
  5. Book: Hoyt, Erich . 2005 . 202 . Marine protected areas for whales, dolphins, and porpoises: a world handbook for cetacean habitat conservation . limited . Earthscan . 1-84407-064-6 .
  6. Cooke, J.G. . 2018 . Balaenoptera musculus ssp. intermedia . 2018 . e.T41713A50226962 . 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T41713A50226962.en . 15 January 2020.
  7. Caracal caracal . Avgan, B. . Henschel, P. . Ghoddousi, A. . amp . 2016 . e.T3847A102424310.
  8. Caracal aurata . Bahaa-el-din, L. . Mills, D. . Hunter, L. . Henschel, P. . amp . e.T18306A50663128 . 2015.
  9. Leptailurus serval . Thiel, C. . 2015 . e.T11638A50654625.
  10. Panthera leo . amp . Bauer, H. . Packer, C. . Funston, P. F. . Henschel, P. . Nowell, K. . 2016 . e.T15951A115130419.
  11. Panthera pardus . Stein, A.B. . Athreya, V. . Gerngross, P. . Balme, G. . Henschel, P. . Karanth, U. . Miquelle, D. . Rostro-Garcia, S. . Kamler, J. F. . Laguardia, A. . Khorozyan, I. . Ghoddousi, A. . amp . 2019 . e.T15954A160698029.
  12. Civettictis civetta . Do Linh San, E. . Gaubert, P. . Wondmagegne, D. . Ray, J. . amp . 2015 . e.T41695A45218199.
  13. Angelici, F.M. . Gaubert, P. . Do Linh San, E. . amp . Genetta maculata . e.T41699A45218948 . 2016.
  14. Genetta servalina . amp . Gaubert, P. . De Luca, D.W. . Rovero, F. . Do Linh San, E. . e.T41700A97163789 . 2016.
  15. Poiana richardsonii . Gaubert, P. . Do Linh San, E. . amp . e.T41704A45219609 . 2015.
  16. Bdeogale crassicauda . White, P.A. . Fischer, C. . Hausser, Y. . Foley, C. . Do Linh San, E. . amp . 2016 . e.T41591A97163568.
  17. Herpestes ichneumon . Do Linh San, E. . Maddock, A.H. . Gaubert, P. . Palomares, F. . amp . 2016 . e.T41613A45207211.
  18. Ichneumia albicauda . Do Linh San, E. . 2015 . e.T41620A45208640.
  19. Rhynchogale melleri . amp . White, P.A. . Mateke, C.W. . Bird, T.L.F. . Swanepoel, L.H. . Do Linh San, E. . 2015 . e.T41623A45209275.
  20. Mellivora capensis . Do Linh San, E. . Begg, C. . Begg, K. . Abramov, A. V. . amp . 2016 . e.T41629A45210107.
  21. Hippopotamus amphibius . Lewison, R. . Pluháček, J. . amp . e.T10103A18567364 . 2017.

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