This list includes 40 Mammals that start with M, from “Madagascar flying fox” to “Mountain zebra”. They range from tiny bats and rodents to large herbivores, useful for education, field guides, and general reference.
Mammals that start with M are mammals whose common names begin with the letter M. Many include well-known species, from mountain gorillas to marsupials like the monito del monte.
Below you’ll find the table with common name, scientific name, habitat, and average size (cm).
Common name: The everyday name you recognize; you can scan it quickly to find species familiar in your region.
Scientific name: The Latin binomial gives precise identity and helps you compare species across languages and regions.
Habitat: Short habitat labels show where each mammal typically lives, helping you narrow searches by environment.
Average size (cm): Average adult length in centimetres gives a quick size sense for comparison and field identification.
Mammals that start with M
| Common name | Scientific name | Habitat | Average adult length (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain lion | Puma concolor | mixed | 155 |
| Moose | Alces alces | forest | 240 |
| Mountain goat | Oreamnos americanus | rocky | 135 |
| Mountain beaver | Aplodontia rufa | forest | 40 |
| Mountain pygmy-possum | Burramys parvus | tundra | 13 |
| Mediterranean monk seal | Monachus monachus | marine | 240 |
| Malayan tapir | Tapirus indicus | forest | 250 |
| Malayan pangolin | Manis javanica | forest | 60 |
| Markhor | Capra falconeri | rocky | 140 |
| Maned wolf | Chrysocyon brachyurus | savanna | 93 |
| Meerkat | Suricata suricatta | savanna | 35 |
| Meadow vole | Microtus pennsylvanicus | grassland | 15 |
| Marsh mongoose | Atilax paludinosus | freshwater | 50 |
| Marsh rice rat | Oryzomys palustris | freshwater | 19 |
| Masked shrew | Sorex cinereus | forest | 7 |
| Masked palm civet | Paguma larvata | forest | 50 |
| Matschie’s tree kangaroo | Dendrolagus matschiei | forest | 75 |
| Mountain tapir | Tapirus pinchaque | forest | 213 |
| Mountain hare | Lepus timidus | tundra | 55 |
| Mountain zebra | Equus zebra | savanna | 230 |
| Mountain anoa | Bubalus quarlesi | forest | 120 |
| Mongolian gerbil | Meriones unguiculatus | desert | 11 |
| Mediterranean mole | Talpa caeca | subterranean | 13 |
| Malayan sun bear | Helarctos malayanus | forest | 120 |
| Marbled polecat | Vormela peregusna | grassland | 35 |
| Marsh deer | Blastocerus dichotomus | freshwater | 160 |
| Madagascar flying fox | Pteropus rufus | forest | 40 |
| Mongoose lemur | Eulemur mongoz | forest | 45 |
| Malayan weasel | Mustela nudipes | forest | 35 |
| Mountain weasel | Mustela altaica | mixed | 28 |
| Mountain reedbuck | Redunca fulvorufula | grassland | 110 |
| Minke whale | Balaenoptera acutorostrata | marine | 850 |
| Mountain cottontail | Sylvilagus nuttallii | mixed | 35 |
| Malayan colugo | Galeopterus variegatus | forest | 40 |
| Monito del monte | Dromiciops gliroides | forest | 12 |
| Meller’s mongoose | Rhynchogale melleri | grassland | 40 |
| Mountain nyala | Tragelaphus buxtoni | forest | 180 |
| Mountain viscacha | Lagidium peruanum | rocky | 60 |
| Magellanic tuco-tuco | Ctenomys magellanicus | grassland | 28 |
| Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur | Microcebus berthae | forest | 9 |
Descriptions
Mountain lion
Large American cat found from Canada to South America; solitary ambush predator adaptable to forests, mountains, and deserts.
Moose
Huge deer of northern forests and tundra across Eurasia and North America; bulls carry massive antlers and feed on aquatic plants.
Mountain goat
North American high‑elevation ungulate adapted to steep, rocky slopes; white-furred surefooted climber.
Mountain beaver
Primitive rodent of Pacific Northwest forests; burrowing herbivore with stout body and short tail.
Mountain pygmy-possum
Tiny Australian marsupial restricted to alpine boulder fields; hibernates and feeds on insects and nectar.
Mediterranean monk seal
Endangered seal of the Mediterranean and NE Atlantic; rare coastal species that hauls out on secluded shores.
Malayan tapir
Distinctive black-and-white large browsing mammal of Southeast Asian forests; solitary and primarily nocturnal.
Malayan pangolin
Scaly, nocturnal insectivore from Southeast Asia; heavily poached for scales and meat.
Markhor
Spiral-horned wild goat of Central Asian mountains; known for impressive twisted horns and cliffside agility.
Maned wolf
Tall-legged South American canid of grasslands; omnivorous tendencies, notable for its long limbs and mane.
Meerkat
Social mongoose of southern African arid zones; lives in cooperative groups and stands sentry to watch for predators.
Meadow vole
Common North American rodent of fields and wetlands; important prey species with population cycles.
Marsh mongoose
African mongoose found near rivers and swamps; semiaquatic forager eating fish and invertebrates.
Marsh rice rat
Rodent of North American marshes that swims and feeds on aquatic plants and small animals.
Masked shrew
Tiny insectivorous shrew across northern North America; extremely high metabolism and voracious insect diet.
Masked palm civet
Arboreal Asian civet with a masked face; omnivorous and often found in forest edges and villages.
Matschie’s tree kangaroo
Rare arboreal marsupial from New Guinea; climbs trees and feeds on leaves and fruit.
Mountain tapir
Endangered Andean tapir of montane forests and páramo; smaller and woollier than lowland tapirs.
Mountain hare
Northern hare that turns white in winter; inhabits moorlands and tundra across Eurasia.
Mountain zebra
Striped equid of southern Africa, preferring rocky mountain slopes and grasslands.
Mountain anoa
Small, secretive dwarf buffalo endemic to Sulawesi forests; rare and solitary browser.
Mongolian gerbil
Desert-adapted rodent from Central Asian steppes, commonly kept as a pet; active and burrowing.
Mediterranean mole
Fossorial mole native to Mediterranean Europe; digs tunnels in moist soils and feeds on worms and insects.
Malayan sun bear
Smallest bear species from Southeast Asian rainforests; nocturnal omnivore known for long tongues and tree-climbing.
Marbled polecat
Colorful small mustelid of Eurasian steppes; preys on rodents and nests, with distinctive facial markings.
Marsh deer
Large South American deer of wetlands and marshes; long-legged and adapted to swampy terrain.
Madagascar flying fox
Large fruit bat endemic to Madagascar; key pollinator and seed disperser in tropical forests.
Mongoose lemur
Small primate native to Madagascar and the Comoros; crepuscular and primarily frugivorous.
Malayan weasel
Southeast Asian small carnivore inhabiting lowland forests; agile hunter of rodents and birds.
Mountain weasel
Small predatory mustelid of Central Asian mountains; nimble hunter of pikas and small rodents.
Mountain reedbuck
Antelope of African montane grasslands and heathlands; grazes at high elevations.
Minke whale
Relatively small baleen whale in temperate and polar waters; feeds on krill and small schooling fish.
Mountain cottontail
Rabbit of North American montane and foothill habitats; fast and secretive.
Malayan colugo
Gliding mammal (colugo) of Southeast Asian forests; uses extensive patagium to glide between trees.
Monito del monte
Small South American marsupial of temperate rainforests; arboreal insectivore-frugivore and a living fossil of Austral biogeography.
Meller’s mongoose
Nocturnal African mongoose from savannas and woodlands; hunts small vertebrates and invertebrates.
Mountain nyala
Endangered Ethiopian antelope endemic to high-altitude woodlands and grasslands.
Mountain viscacha
Andean rodent that resembles a rabbit; inhabits rocky cliffs and talus slopes at high elevations.
Magellanic tuco-tuco
Burrowing South American rodent of Patagonian grasslands; digs extensive underground galleries.
Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur
World’s smallest primate, endemic to Madagascar; nocturnal insectivore with tiny size and big eyes.