This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Kuwait. There are twenty-five mammal species in Kuwait, of which one is endangered, four are vulnerable, and one is near threatened. One of the species listed for Kuwait can no longer be found in the wild.[1]
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:
| EX | Extinct | No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. |
| EW | Extinct in the wild | Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range. |
| CR | Critically endangered | The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild. |
| EN | Endangered | The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. |
| VU | Vulnerable | The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. |
| NT | Near threatened | The 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 concern | There are no current identifiable risks to the species. |
| DD | Data deficient | There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species. |
Order: Sirenia (manatees and dugongs) edit
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.
- Family: Dugongidae
Order: Rodentia (rodents) edit
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.
- Suborder: Myomorpha
- Family: Dipodidae (jerboas)
- Subfamily: Allactaginae
- Genus: Allactaga
- Euphrates jerboa, A. euphratica LC
- Genus: Allactaga
- Subfamily: Allactaginae
- Family: Muridae (mice, rats, gerbils, etc.)
- Subfamily: Gerbillinae
- Genus: Gerbillus
- Cheesman's gerbil, Gerbillus cheesmani
- Wagner's gerbil, Gerbillus dasyurus LC
- Genus: Meriones
- Sundevall's jird, Meriones crassus LC
- Genus: Tatera
- Indian gerbil, Tatera indica LC
- Genus: Gerbillus
- Subfamily: Gerbillinae
- Family: Dipodidae (jerboas)
Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures) edit
The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and gymnures. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats.
- Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs)
- Subfamily: Erinaceinae
- Genus: Paraechinus
- Desert hedgehog, P. aethiopicus LC
- Genus: Paraechinus
- Subfamily: Erinaceinae
Order: Chiroptera (bats) edit
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.
- Family: Vespertilionidae
- Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
- Genus: Pipistrellus
- Kuhl's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus kuhlii LC
- Genus: Pipistrellus
- Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
- Family: Rhinopomatidae
- Genus: Rhinopoma
- Lesser mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma hardwickei LC
- Genus: Rhinopoma
Order: Cetacea (whales) edit
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.
- Suborder: Mysticeti
- Family: Balaenopteridae
- Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
- Genus: Balaenoptera
- Pygmy blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda EN[3]
- Genus: Balaenoptera
- Subfamily: Megapterinae
- Genus: Megaptera
- Humpback whale, M. novaeangliae LC[4]
- Genus: Megaptera
- Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
- Family: Balaenopteridae
- Suborder: Odontoceti
- Superfamily: Platanistoidea
- Family: Phocoenidae
- Genus: Neophocaena
- Finless porpoise, Neophocaena phocaenoides DD
- Genus: Neophocaena
- Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
- Genus: Sousa
- Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphin, Sousa chinensis DD
- Genus: Grampus
- Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus DD
- Genus: Sousa
- Family: Phocoenidae
- Superfamily: Platanistoidea
Order: Carnivora (carnivorans) edit
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
- Suborder: Feliformia
- Family: Felidae (cats)
- Family: Herpestidae (mongooses)
- Genus: Urva
- Indian grey mongoose, U. edwardsii LC[7]
- Genus: Urva
- Family: Hyaenidae (hyaenas)
- Genus: Hyaena
- Striped hyena, H. hyaena NT, presence uncertain[8]
- Genus: Hyaena
- Suborder: Caniformia
- Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
- Genus: Vulpes
- Rüppell's fox, V. rueppellii LC[9]
- Red fox, V. vulpes LC[10]
- Genus: Vulpes
- Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
- Genus: Mellivora
- Honey badger, M. capensis LC[11]
- Genus: Mellivora
- Family: Canidae (dogs, foxes)
Locally extinct edit
The following species are locally extinct in the country:
- Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus[12]
- Saudi gazelle, Gazella saudiya[13]
- Arabian oryx, Oryx leucoryx[14]
- Leopard, Panthera pardus[15]
See also edit
Notes edit
- ^ 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.
- ^ Marsh, H. & Sobtzick, S. (2019). "Dugong dugon". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T6909A160756767.
- ^ Khalaf N.. 2014. The 24-meters Blue Whale Skeleton at the Educational Science Museum in Kuwait City, State of Kuwait. issuu. Retrieved on September 21, 2017
- ^ Cooke, J.G. (2018). "Megaptera novaeangliae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T13006A50362794.
- ^ Avgan, B.; Henschel, P. & Ghoddousi, A. (2016). "Caracal caracal". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T3847A102424310.
- ^ Sliwa, A.; Ghadirian, T.; Appel, A.; Banfield, L.; Sher Shah, M. & Wacher, T. (2016). "Felis margarita". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T8541A50651884.
- ^ Mudappa, D. & Choudhury, A. (2016). "Herpestes edwardsii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41611A45206787.
- ^ AbiSaid, M. & Dloniak, S.M.D. (2015). "Hyaena hyaena". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T10274A45195080.
- ^ Mallon, D.; Murdoch, J.D. & Wacher, T. (2015). "Vulpes rueppelli". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T23053A46197483.
- ^ Hoffmann, M. & Sillero-Zubiri, C. (2016). "Vulpes vulpes". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T23062A46190249.
- ^ Do Linh San, E.; Begg, C.; Begg, K. & Abramov, A. V. (2016). "Mellivora capensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41629A45210107.
- ^ Durant, S.; Mitchell, N.; Ipavec, A. & Groom, R. (2015). "Acinonyx jubatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T219A50649567.
- ^ IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group (2016). "Gazella saudiya". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T8980A50187890. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
- ^ IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group (2017). "Oryx leucoryx". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T15569A50191626.
- ^ 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. (2020). "Panthera pardus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T15954A163991139.
References edit
- "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Mammals of Kuwait". IUCN. 2001. Retrieved 22 May 2007. [dead link]
- "Mammal Species of the World". Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. 2005. Archived from the original on 27 April 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2007.
- "Animal Diversity Web". University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. 1995–2006. Retrieved 22 May 2007.