List of Mammals of Canada - Introduced or Accidental Species

Introduced or Accidental Species

A number of wild mammalians may be found in Canadian territory without being confirmed natives. Some were voluntarily or involuntarily introduced. These include the House Mouse (Mus musculus), and Norway and Black Rats (respectively Rattus norvegicus and R. rattus). Other include escaped animals; the Coypu (Myocastor coypus), European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Hares (Lepus europaeus), as well as feral cats, dogs and horses fall into this category. Fallow Deers (Dama dama) and Wild Boars (Sus scrofa) were introduced for hunting.

Finally, other species are encountered only accidentally, or so rarely in Canadian territory that it is impossible to tell whether they are permanent resident. Most of these species are cetaceans, some generally poorly known: Risso's Dolphin (Grampus griseus), the Dwarf and Pygmy Sperm Whales (Kogia sima and K. breviceps), Blainville's and True's Beaked Whale (Mesoplodon densirostris and M. mirus), the False Killer Whale (Pseudorca crassidens), and the Striped Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba). The Big Free-tailed and Evening Bats (respectively Nyctinomops macrotis and Nycticeius humeralis), as well as the New England Cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis) are found mostly in areas south of the U.S.-Canada frontier, and occasionally in Canada.

The only Canadian, and also last known specimen of the Sea Mink (Mustela macrodon) was captured on Campobello Island, in Nova Scotia in 1894. It is unknown whether the species was ever native to the country, but an unidentified animal reported in 1785 suggest it might have been more common in the Maritimes.