title: List of mammals of Saint Helena
text: # List of mammals of Saint Helena
  
  This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Saint Helena. Of the mammal species in Saint Helena, one is vulnerable.
  
  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. |
  
  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: 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.
  
  * Suborder: Mysticeti
     * Family: Balaenopteridae
        * Genus: Balaenoptera
           * Common minke whale, B. acutorostrata LC
           * Antarctic minke whale, Balaenoptera bonaerensis DD
           * Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis EN
           * Bryde's whale, Balaenoptera brydei DD
           * Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus EN
           * Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus EN
        * Genus: Megaptera
           * Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae LC
     * Family: Balaenidae
        * Genus: Eubalaena
           * Southern right whale, Eubalaena australis LC
  * Suborder: Odontoceti
     * Superfamily: Platanistoidea
        * Family: Physeteridae
           * Genus: Physeter
              * Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus VU
        * Family: Kogiidae
           * Genus: Kogia
              * Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps DD
              * Dwarf sperm whale, Kogia sima DD
        * Family: Ziphidae
           * Genus: Berardius
              * Arnoux's beaked whale, Berardius arnuxii DD
           * Subfamily: Hyperoodontinae
              * Genus: Mesoplodon
                 * Blainville's beaked whale, Mesoplodon densirostris DD
                 * Gray's beaked whale, Mesoplodon grayi DD
                 * Hector's beaked whale, Mesoplodon hectori DD
                 * Strap-toothed whale, Mesoplodon layardii DD
              * Genus: Ziphius
                 * Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris DD
        * Family: Delphinidae (marine dolphins)
           * Genus: Steno
              * Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis DD
           * Genus: Tursiops
              * Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus DD
           * Genus: Lagenodelphis
              * Fraser's dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei DD
           * Genus: Stenella
              * Pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata LR/cd
              * Atlantic spotted dolphin, Stenella frontalis DD
              * Spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris LR/cd
              * Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba DD
           * Genus: Orcinus
              * Killer whale, Orcinus orca DD
           * Genus: Pseudorca
              * False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens LR/lc
           * Genus: Feresa
              * Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuata DD
           * Genus: Globicephala
              * Short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus DD
           * Genus: Peponocephala
              * Melon-headed whale, Peponocephala electra 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.
  
  * Suborder: Caniformia
     * Family: Otariidae (eared seals, sealions)
        * Genus: Arctophoca
           * Subantarctic fur seal, A. tropicalis LC
     * Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
        * Genus: Hydrurga
           * Leopard seal, H. leptonyx LC
        * Genus: Mirounga
           * Southern elephant seal, M. leonina LC
  