Mammals are among the most popular ecosymbols, or symbols of Nature. They rank with birds as the most popular animal symbols symbols among countries, states, provinces, etc.
Let’s take a brief tour of Mammals of state.
National Mammals ˆ
U.S. State Mammals ˆ
The only U.S. states with no official mammal are Indiana, Iowa, and Minnesota. The other 47 states are represented by a total of 97 officially designated mammals, an average of a little more than two apiece. (South Carolina has six.)
These include 44 domestic animals (22 dogs, 14 horses, 2 mules, 3 cattle, and 3 cats), one groundhog, and one cartoon character (Pogo ’Possum). (I did not include generic designations, such as “shelter pets.”)
Six states are represented by domestic mammals only: Idaho, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, North Dakota, and Vermont.
As indicated in the “Designation” column, the titles give these synbols are quite varied. The seven symbols without specific titles were simply designated the official “mammal.”
| List of State Mammals | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| State | Species | Designation | |
| Alabama | black bear (Ursus americanus) | 2006 | |
| manatee (Trichechus manatus) | Marine Mammal | 2009 | |
| Racking Horse (Equus caballus) | Horse | 1975 | |
| Alaska | moose (Alces alces) | Land Mammal | 1998 |
| bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) | Marine Mammal | 1983 | |
| Alaskan Malamute (Canis lupus familiaris) | Dog | 2010 | |
| Arizona | ringtail (Bassariscus astutus) | 1986 | |
| Arkansas | white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) | 1993 | |
| California | California grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) | Animal | 1953 |
| gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) | Marine Mammal | 1975 | |
| Colorado | Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) | Animal | 1961 |
| Connecticut | sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) | Animal | 1975 |
| Delaware | gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) | Wildlife Animal | 2010 |
| Dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | Golden Retriever | 2016 | |
| Florida | Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) | Animal | 1982 |
| manatee (Trichechus manatus) | Marine Mammal | 1975 | |
| porpoise (bottle nosed dolphin) (Tursiops truncatus) | Saltwater Mammal | 1975 | |
| cracker horse (Equus caballus) | Heritage Horse | 2008 | |
| Georgia | white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) | 2015 | |
| right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) | Marine Mammal | 1985 | |
| Pogo ’Possum (Didelphis virginiana) | ’Possum | 2002 | |
| Hawaii | Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) | 2008 | |
| humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) | Marine Mammal | 1979 | |
| Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus) | Land mammal | 2015 | |
| Idaho | Appaloosa (Equus caballus) | Horse | 1975 |
| Illinois | white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) | Animal | 1982 |
| Indiana | (none) | ||
| Iowa | (none) | ||
| Kansas | bison (Bison bison) | Animal | 1955 |
| Kentucky | gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) | Wild Animal Game Species | 1968 |
| Thoroughbred (Equus caballus) | Horse | 1996 | |
| Louisiana | Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus) | 1992 | |
| Catahoula Leopard Dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | Dog | 1979 | |
| Maine | moose (Alces alces) | Animal | 1979 |
| Maine Coon Cat (Felis catus) | Cat | 1985 | |
| Maryland | Thoroughbred (Equus caballus) | Horse | 2003 |
| Chesapeake Bay Retriever (Canis lupus familiaris) | Dog | 1964 | |
| Calico Cat (Felis catus) | Cat | 2001 | |
| Massachusetts | right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) | Marine Mammal | 1980 |
| Ms. G (Marmota monax) | Groundhog | 2014 | |
| Morgan Horse (Equus caballus) | Horse | 1970 | |
| Boston Terrier (Canis lupus familiaris) | Dog | 1979 | |
| Tabby Cat (Felis catus) | Cat | 1988 | |
| Michigan | white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) | Game Mammal | 1997 |
| Minnesota | (none) | ||
| Mississippi | white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) | Land Mammal | 1974 |
| red fox (Vulpes vulpes) | Land Mammal | 1997 | |
| bottlenosed dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) | Water Mammal | 1974 | |
| Missouri | Missouri mule (Equus) | Animal | 1995 |
| Missouri Fox Trotting Horse (Equus caballus) | Horse | 2002 | |
| Montana | grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) | Animal | 1983 |
| Nebraska | white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) | 1981 | |
| Nevada | desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) | Animal | 1973 |
| New Hampshire | white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) | Animal | 1983 |
| bobcat (Lynx rufus) | Wildcat | 2015 | |
| Chinook (Canis lupus familiaris) | Dog | 2009 | |
| New Jersey | horse (Equus caballus) | Animal | 1977 |
| New Mexico | black bear (Ursus americanus) | Animal | 1963 |
| New York | beaver (Castor canadensis) | Animal | 1975 |
| North Carolina | gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) | 1969 | |
| Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginianus) | Marsupial | 2013 | |
| colonial Spanish mustang (Equus caballus) | Horse | 2011 | |
| Plott Hound (Canis lupus familiaris) | Dog | 1989 | |
| North Dakota | Nokota Horse (Equus caballus) | Honorary State Equine | 1993 |
| Ohio | white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) | Animal | 1988 |
| Oklahoma | bison (Bison bison) | Animal | 1972 |
| white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) | Game Animal | 1990 | |
| raccoon (Procyon lotor) | Furbearer | 1989 | |
| Mexican free tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) | Flying Mammal | 2006 | |
| Oregon | beaver (Castor canadensis) | Animal | 1969 |
| Pennsylvania | white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) | Animal | 1959 |
| Great Dane (Canis lupus familiaris) | Dog | 1965 | |
| Rhode Island | Harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) | Marine mammal | 2016 |
| South Carolina | white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) | Animal | 1972 |
| bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) | Marine Mammal | 2009 | |
| northern right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) | Migratory Marine Mammal | 2009 | |
| Boykin Spaniel (Canis lupus familiaris) | Dog | 1985 | |
| Marsh tacky (Equus caballus) | Heritage Horse | 2010 | |
| Mule (Equus asinus x Equus caballus) | Heritage Work Animal | 2010 | |
| South Dakota | coyote (Canis latrans) | Animal | 1949 |
| Tennessee | raccoon (Procyon lotor) | Wild Animal | 1972 |
| Tennessee Walking Horse (Equus caballus) | 2000 | ||
| Texas | longhorn (Bos taurus) | Large Mammal | 1995 |
| nine banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) | Small Mammal | 1995 | |
| Mexican free tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) | Flying Mammal | 1995 | |
| Blue Lacy (Canis lupus familiaris) | Dog | 2005 | |
| American quarter horse (Equus caballus) | Horse | 2009 | |
| Utah | Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus) | Animal | 1971 |
| Vermont | Morgan Horse (Equus caballus) | Animal | 1961 |
| Randall lineback breed of cattle (Bos primigenius) | Heritage Breed of Livestock | 2006 | |
| Virginia | Virginia big eared bat (Plecotus townsendii) | Bat | 2005 |
| American Foxhound (Canis lupus familiaris) | Dog | 1966 | |
| Washington | Olympic marmot (Marmota olympus) | Endemic Mammal | 2009 |
| orca (Orcinus orca) | Marine Mammal | 2005 | |
| West Virginia | black bear (Ursus americanus) | Animal | 1973 |
| Wisconsin | badger (Taxidea taxus) | Animal | 1957 |
| white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) | Wildlife Animal | 1957 | |
| American Water Spaniel (Canis lupus familiaris) | Dog | 1985 | |
| dairy cow (Bos taurus) | Domestic Animal | 1971 | |
| Wyoming | bison (Bison bison) | 1985 | |
Canada ˆ
| List of Provincial Mammals | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Province | Species | Designation | |
| Alberta | Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) | 1989 | |
| British Columbia | Spirit bear (Ursus americanus kermodei) | 2006 | |
| Manitoba | plains bison (Bison bison bison) | 2014 | |
| Newfoundland | Newfoundland pony (Equus caballus) | Heritage Animal | 1997 |
| Newfoundland Dog and Labrador Retriever (Canis lupus familiaris) | DOG??? | ||
| Nova Scotia | Duck Tolling Retriever (Canis lupus familiaris) | Dog | 1995 |
| Sable Island Horse (Equus caballus) | Horse | 2008 | |
| Nunavut | Canadian Inuit dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | Animal | 2000 |
| Saskatchewan | white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) | Animal | 2001 |
Japan ˆ
| List of Prefectural Mammals | ||
|---|---|---|
| Prefecture | Symbol | |
| Ehime | river otter (Lutra lutra) | |
| Miyagi | sika deer (Cervus nippon) | 1965 |
| Nagano | Japanese serow (Naemorhedus crispus) | |
| Tochigi | Japanese serow (Naemorhedus crispus) | |
| Toyama | Japanese serow (Naemorhedus crispus) | 1975 |
| Yamaguchi | Honshu deer (sika deer) (Cervus nippon) | 1964 |
Other Mammals of State ˆ
Check back now and then; I will be adding more lists for some time.
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