This is a list of the native wild mammal species recorded in Mexico. As of September 2014, there were 536 mammalian species or subspecies listed. Based on IUCN data, Mexico has 23% more noncetacean mammal species than the U.S. and Canada combined in an area only 10% as large, or a species density over 12 times that of its northern neighbors.[n 1] Mexico's high mammal biodiversity is in part a reflection of the wide array of biomes present over its latitudinal, climatic and altitudinal ranges, from lowland tropical rainforest to temperate desert to montane forest to alpine tundra. The general increase in terrestrial biodiversity moving towards the equator[1] is another important factor in the comparison. Mexico includes much of the Mesoamerican and Madrean pine-oak woodlands biodiversity hotspots. From a biogeographic standpoint, most of Mexico is linked to the rest of North America as part of the Nearctic realm. However, the lowlands of southern Mexico are linked with Central America and South America as part of the Neotropical realm. Extensive mixing of Nearctic and Neotropical mammal species commenced only three million years ago, when the formation of the Isthmus of Panama ended South America's long period of isolation and precipitated the Great American Interchange. Twenty of Mexico's extant nonflying species (opossums, armadillos, anteaters, monkeys and caviomorph rodents) are of South American origin. Most of the megafauna that formerly inhabited the region became extinct at the end of the Pleistocene about 10,000 years ago, shortly after the arrival of the first humans. Increasing alteration and destruction of natural habitats by expanding human populations during the last several centuries is causing further attrition of the region's biodiversity, as exemplified by the "hotspot" designations (by definition, such areas have lost over 70% of their primary vegetation).
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature; those on the left are used here, those in the second column in some other articles:
EX
EX
Extinct
No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died.
EW
EW
Extinct in the wild
Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized population well outside its historic range.
CR
CR
Critically endangered
The species is in imminent danger of extinction in the wild.
EN
EN
Endangered
The species is facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
VU
VU
Vulnerable
The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
NT
NT
Near threatened
The species does not qualify as being at high risk of extinction but is likely to do so in the future.
LC
LC
Least concern
The species is not currently at risk of extinction in the wild.
DD
DD
Data deficient
There is inadequate information to assess the risk of extinction for this species.
NE
NE
Not evaluated
The conservation status of the species has not been studied.
Of the listed taxa, 7 are extinct, 1 (not recognized by the IUCN) is possibly extinct, 30 are critically endangered, 46 are endangered, 26 are vulnerable, and 23 are near threatened.[n 2] These status tags were most recently updated in April 2011. Six of the extinct or possibly extinct taxa and 11 of the critically endangered taxa are insular (all but two of these are rodents); another 13 of the critically endangered species (all rodents or shrews) are montane. The only critically endangered species that are neither rodents nor shrews are the Cozumel Island raccoon and the vaquita. The vaquita population estimate has dropped below 100 as of 2014 and it is regarded as being in imminent danger of extinction.[2][3]
Cite error: There are <ref group=n> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=n}} template (see the help page).
^Gaston, Kevin J. (11 May 2000). "Global patterns in biodiversity". Nature. 405 (6783): 220–227. doi:10.1038/35012228. PMID 10821282. S2CID 4337597.
^Johnson, Chris (2014-08-03). "Report: Vaquita population declines to less than 100". Vaquita: Last Chance for the Desert Porpoise. earthOcean. Archived from the original on 2014-08-12. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
^Report of the Fifth Meeting of the Comité Internacional para la Recuperación de la Vaquita(PDF). Ensenada, Baja California: Comité Internacional para la Recuperación de la Vaquita (CIRVA). 2014-08-03. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-08-12. Retrieved 2014-08-12.
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