title: List of mammals of Ascension Island
text: # List of mammals of Ascension Island
  
  This is a list of the mammal species recorded on and around Ascension Island. Ascension Island has two native mammal species, both of which are beaked whales in the genus Mesoplodon. Neither is thought to be at risk, but there is insufficient data collected on them to allow an assessment to be made.
  
  The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:
  
  | DD | Data deficient | There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this 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.
  
  * Suborder: Odontoceti
     * Superfamily: Platanistoidea
        * Family: Ziphidae
           * Subfamily: Hyperoodontinae
              * Genus: Mesoplodon
                 * Blainville's beaked whale, M. densirostris DD
                 * Gervais' beaked whale, M. europaeus DD
  