Mammals

The mammalian fauna of the Presidio has changed greatly since the arrival of the Europeans in the 1700s and the advent of hunting with guns, the replacement of dune scrub with grazing land and then the entire around the Presidio becoming a city. All of the larger mammals have been extirpated here and the visible mammal fauna is primarily composed of typical urban wild mammals, such as squirrels, skunks and raccoon. Long are gone the Grizzly Bear and Tule Elk. Today there are no longer even deer at the Presidio and the gray fox only hangs on in small numbers. A recent addition to the Presidio's wildlife is the coyote, several of which have been spotted here recently.

The mammals listed below are the species that are most commonly sighted here.

Select a common name below to learn more about a species

Click here to view thumbnail photos linked to species information

Common Name	Scientific Name	Group
Virginia Opossum	Didelphis virginiana	Marsupial
Gray Fox	Urocyon cinereoagentus	Canine
Red Fox	Vulpes vulpes	Canine
Coyote	Canis latrans	Canine
Striped Skunk	Mephitis mephitis	Weasel
Raccoon	Procylon lotor	Raccoon
House Mouse	Mus musculus	Rodent
Western Harvest Mouse	Reithrodontomys megalotis	Rodent
Roof Rat	Rattus rattus	Rodent
Valley Pocket Gopher	Thomomys bottae	Rodent
California Vole	Microtus californicus	Rodent
Fox Squirrel	Sciurus niger	Rodent
Vagrant Shrew	Sorex vagrans vagrans	Insectivore
Broad-footed Mole	Scapanus latimanus	Insectivore
Hoary Bat	Lasiurus cinereus	Bat
Townsends Big-eared Bat	Plecotus townsendii townsendii	Bat

Return to Presidio Wildlife Home Page