Here you’ll find 40 Mammals that start with C, organized from “Cacomistle” to “Cuvier’s beaked whale”. These include small nocturnal tree-dwellers, burrowing rodents, flying bats, and large marine mammals, useful for education and conservation awareness.

Mammals that start with C are species whose common English names begin with the letter C. Many cultures spotlight the cougar in folklore, and whales often appear in maritime stories.

Below you’ll find the table with common name, scientific name, habitat, and average size (cm).

Common name: This shows the most widely used English name so you can quickly recognize each species.

Scientific name: The Latin binomial gives precise identity and lets you cross-reference species in scientific lists and databases.

Habitat: Brief habitat categories (forest, grassland, marine, desert, freshwater, urban) help you understand where each species lives.

Average size (cm): The typical adult length in centimeters gives a quick sense of the animal’s physical scale.

Mammals that start with C

Common nameScientific nameHabitatAverage adult length (cm)
CacomistleBassariscus sumichrastiforest78
CheetahAcinonyx jubatusgrassland131
Clouded leopardNeofelis nebulosaforest120
CaracalCaracal caracalgrassland83
CougarPuma concolorforest175
Canada lynxLynx canadensisforest95
ChimpanzeePan troglodytesforest90
Common vampire batDesmodus rotundusforest8.25
Common pipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellusurban4.00
CapybaraHydrochoerus hydrochaeriswetland115
Crested porcupineHystrix cristatarocky72
Common minke whaleBalaenoptera acutorostratamarine850
Cuvier’s beaked whaleZiphius cavirostrismarine550
Commerson’s dolphinCephalorhynchus commersoniimarine125
Common dolphinDelphinus delphismarine210
California sea lionZalophus californianusmarine200
Common genetGenetta genettaforest50
Common shrewSorex araneusforest7.00
Common treeshrewTupaia glisforest23
Common brushtail possumTrichosurus vulpeculaurban45
Common wombatVombatus ursinusgrassland95
Chinese pangolinManis pentadactylaforest80
Chinese water deerHydropotes inermiswetland85
Chinese ferret-badgerMelogale moschataforest37.50
Crab-eating macaqueMacaca fascicularisforest48
Crab-eating raccoonProcyon cancrivoruswetland70
Common squirrel monkeySaimiri sciureusforest30
Cape fur sealArctocephalus pusillusmarine180
Cape ground squirrelXerus inaurisgrassland34
ChamoisRupicapra rupicaprarocky115
CoyoteCanis latransgrassland88
Cuban solenodonSolenodon cubanusforest26
Common sealPhoca vitulinamarine150
Common bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatusmarine250
Cape hareLepus capensisgrassland53
Chinese hamsterCricetulus griseusgrassland8
Common tenrecTenrec ecaudatusgrassland30
Collared peccaryPecari tajacugrassland105
Cape buffaloSyncerus caffergrassland290
Common long-eared batPlecotus auritusforest5

Descriptions

Cacomistle
A small, nocturnal procyonid from Central American forests with a long ringed tail and arboreal habits; often seen near human-altered woodland.
Cheetah
The fastest land mammal, found in African savannas; slim build and distinctive spots make it a specialized daytime hunter.
Clouded leopard
A secretive, tree‑climbing big cat of Southeast Asian forests with spectacular cloud-like coat patterns and long canines.
Caracal
A medium-sized African and Asian cat noted for tufted ears and powerful hind legs used for leaping to catch birds.
Cougar
Also called mountain lion or puma; a wide-ranging, adaptable predator of the Americas found in forests and mountains.
Canada lynx
A cold-adapted North American wildcat with large paws for walking on snow and a diet focused on snowshoe hares.
Chimpanzee
A social, intelligent great ape of African forests and woodlands known for tool use, complex social groups, and cultural behaviors.
Common vampire bat
A small New World bat that feeds on mammal blood; lives in warm areas and often roosts in caves or buildings.
Common pipistrelle
A tiny, widespread bat in Europe and nearby regions; adaptable to urban areas and common in parks and buildings.
Capybara
The world’s largest rodent, semi-aquatic and social, often found grazing near rivers and swamps in South America.
Crested porcupine
A heavily built Old World porcupine with quills for defense; inhabits rocky areas, woodlands and farmland.
Common minke whale
A relatively small baleen whale found in temperate and polar seas worldwide; often seen in coastal waters.
Cuvier’s beaked whale
A deep-diving, elusive beaked whale found in deep ocean waters globally; known for extreme dive capabilities.
Commerson’s dolphin
A striking black-and-white dolphin of coastal southern oceans, often seen in inshore waters around islands.
Common dolphin
A fast, schooling dolphin found in temperate and tropical oceans worldwide; highly social and acrobatic.
California sea lion
A common pinniped along Pacific coasts of North America known for intelligence, loud barks and bluff colonies on rocky shores.
Common genet
A slender, nocturnal carnivore of Africa and introduced in Europe; marked coat and long tail; adept climber.
Common shrew
A tiny insectivorous mammal widespread across Eurasia, active and high-metabolism with shrew-like habits.
Common treeshrew
A small Southeast Asian mammal that forages in trees and on the ground; not a true shrew but agile and active.
Common brushtail possum
An adaptable Australian marsupial often living near people; nocturnal, omnivorous, and common in towns.
Common wombat
A sturdy, burrowing marsupial of Australia with backward-facing pouch and slow, grazing lifestyle.
Chinese pangolin
A scaly, nocturnal insect-eater from Asia; threatened by poaching and habitat loss for its meat and scales.
Chinese water deer
A small deer lacking antlers, native to East Asia and preferring marshes and reedbeds; known for tusk-like canine teeth.
Chinese ferret-badger
A small, omnivorous mustelid of East and Southeast Asia, active at night and often found near streams.
Crab-eating macaque
Also called long-tailed macaque; widespread in Southeast Asia, often near water and easily seen in coastal forests.
Crab-eating raccoon
A South American procyonid that favors wetlands and riversides and feeds on crustaceans, fruits and small animals.
Common squirrel monkey
A small, lively South American primate living in large groups in lowland tropical forests.
Cape fur seal
A pinniped of southern African coasts with dense fur; forms large breeding colonies on rocky shores.
Cape ground squirrel
A diurnal African rodent of open savannas and semi-deserts, living in burrow colonies and foraging in groups.
Chamois
A nimble mountain ungulate of European Alps and ranges, adapted to steep rocky terrain.
Coyote
A highly adaptable North American canid found in varied habitats from grasslands to suburbs, opportunistic omnivore and predator.
Cuban solenodon
A rare, venomous insectivorous mammal endemic to Cuba; nocturnal with a long snout and limited, fragmented range.
Common seal
Also called the harbor seal in North America; widespread temperate pinniped often seen hauled out on rocks and beaches.
Common bottlenose dolphin
A familiar, intelligent coastal dolphin found worldwide; highly social and often seen in pods near shore.
Cape hare
A widespread hare of Africa and Eurasia, adapted to open habitats and known for speed and long ears.
Chinese hamster
A small rodent native to northern China, used widely in research but also found in steppe and scrub habitats.
Common tenrec
A varied Malagasy insectivore often called the common tenrec; roams forests and open areas and can curl defensively.
Collared peccary
A compact, pig-like ungulate of the Americas that lives in herds and forages in forests and scrublands.
Cape buffalo
A large African bovine forming massive herds on savannas; known for powerful build and unpredictable behavior.
Common long-eared bat
A European bat with very long ears, agile in flight and often roosting in trees, barns or attics.
If you think there is a missing term, let us know using the contact form.