The Complete List of Mammals of Latvia

Latvia’s varied landscapes — Baltic coast, peat bogs, mixed forests and agricultural lowlands — support a diverse mammal fauna. A concise checklist helps both casual walkers and field naturalists know what to expect and where to look.

There are 55 Mammals of Latvia, ranging from American mink (introduced) to Yellow-necked mouse. For each species, the list gives Scientific name, Typical size (weight kg; length cm), and Main habitat & occurrence — you’ll find below.

Which species on the list are introduced or invasive?

Introduced species are noted in the list (for example, American mink is marked as introduced); check the Main habitat & occurrence column for status notes. Where introductions exist, local conservation or hunting reports can give more detail on impacts and current abundance.

How can I use this list to plan mammal watching in Latvia?

Use the Typical size and Main habitat & occurrence columns to target likely locations and detection methods (daytime for deer and hares, dawn/dusk or spotlighting for many carnivores and small mammals). Seasonal activity and local guides or nature reserves will improve chances of sightings.

Mammals of Latvia

Images and Descriptions

Eurasian beaver

Large, flat-tailed rodent that builds dams and lodges. Dark brown, unmistakable chew marks on trees. Active at dawn and night; widespread in Latvian waterways and a conservation success story, often visible from riverside hides.

European otter

Sleek, fish-eating semi-aquatic mammal with dense fur and long tail. Elusive but signs (spraints, slides) common along rivers and the Gulf of Riga; best seen at dusk or by quiet watersides.

Muskrat (introduced)

Large water-rodent with flattened tail and dense fur. Builds bank burrows and feeding platforms in reeds. Common in Latvian wetlands and often mistaken for small beavers or large rats.

Red squirrel

Small tree-dwelling rodent with bushy tail and ear tufts in winter. Agile and vocal; easily seen in woodlands and gardens, especially where feeder stations are present.

Moose

Europe’s largest deer with long legs, humped shoulders, and palmate antlers on males. Solitary or small groups; visible along forest roads and bog edges, especially at dawn and dusk.

Roe deer

Small, graceful deer with short antlers on males and a reddish summer coat. Often seen at woodland margins, fields and near villages; active at dawn and dusk.

Red deer

Large deer with impressive branching antlers on stags. Gregarious in herds; rutting season in autumn is notable. Found in Latvia’s larger forest complexes and open meadows.

Fallow deer (introduced)

Medium-sized deer with palmate antlers and spotted coat in summer. Introduced and managed in estates and forests; fairly visible where populations are maintained.

Wild boar

Omnivorous, hardy mammals with bristly coat and short tusks. Nocturnal but often seen at dawn/dusk; cause crop damage and are widespread across Latvian countryside.

Brown bear

Massive omnivore with thick fur and a distinctive shoulder hump. Typically shy; mainly in eastern and central deep forests. Sightings are uncommon but possible in remote areas.

Grey wolf

Pack-living predator with powerful build and long legs. Elusive but widespread across Latvia’s forests; howling heard at night; occasionally near settlements.

Eurasian lynx

Solitary spotted cat with tufted ears and a short tail. Expert ambush predator; rare but resident in larger forest tracts — best chance in remote eastern woods.

Red fox

Adaptable, red-coated canid with bushy tail. Opportunistic feeder, active at night and dawn. Frequently seen along roads, fields and even town edges throughout Latvia.

Raccoon dog (introduced)

East Asian introduced canid with raccoon-like face. Nocturnal and omnivorous; now common in Latvia’s countryside, especially near wetlands and reedbeds.

European wildcat

Sturdy tabby-like cat with bushy ringed tail and no domestic cat markings. Very shy; small remnant populations occur in undisturbed forests — rarely seen.

European badger

Stocky mammal with black-and-white face stripes and burrowing habits. Lives in setts and forages at night; common but often unseen, signs found near forests and fields.

European pine marten

Arboreal carnivore with slender body and creamy throat patch. Excellent climber; feeds on small mammals, birds and fruit. Occasionally visits farm outbuildings; sightings are infrequent.

Stone/Becher marten

Adaptable marten with grizzled fur and pale throat patch. Often nests in attics and sheds; more tolerant of human areas than pine marten.

European polecat

Dark, weasel-like carnivore with mask-like face. Nocturnal predator of rodents and birds; secretive but common in rural and marshy habitats.

American mink (introduced)

Semi-aquatic mustelid introduced for fur farming; dark brown and sleek. Competes with native species; often seen near water at dusk or dawn.

Stoat / Ermine

Small, agile predator with long body and seasonal white winter coat (ermine). Hunts rodents; common but rarely seen during the day.

Least weasel

Smallest carnivore with elongated body. Fierce predator of small rodents; often hidden, but signs of predation reveal its presence in farmland and grassland.

European hare

Large long-eared lagomorph with long hindlegs and fast running. Active at dawn and dusk; commonly seen in agricultural landscapes across Latvia.

Mountain hare

Smaller, paler hare that molts white in winter in northern populations. Occurs in northern or high bog habitats in Latvia but is relatively rare and localized.

European mole

Fossorial insectivore with paddle-like forelimbs and velvety fur. Creates molehills and tunnels across lawns and fields; common but mostly unseen above ground.

Common pipistrelle

Small, common bat with rapid flight. Roosts in buildings and trees; active around streetlights hunting insects. One of Latvia’s most frequently encountered bats.

Nathusius’ pipistrelle

Long-distance migrating pipistrelle with slender wings. Passes through Latvia in large numbers during migration and breeds locally in wooded wetlands.

Soprano pipistrelle

Similar to common pipistrelle but favours waterways and wetlands. Roosts in tree cavities and buildings; active at dusk along rivers and reedbeds.

Noctule

Large, fast-flying bat that forages high above canopy. Often seen at dusk in open skies; migratory tendencies mean seasonal abundance in Latvia.

Leisler’s bat

Medium-sized bat with slender wings and reddish fur. Often forages above tree canopy and around streetlights; appears in summer and on migration.

Daubenton’s bat

Water-hunting bat skimming insects from water surface. Pale belly and fluttering flight make it distinctive; frequently seen over Latvian lakes and rivers at dusk.

Northern bat

Robust bat with dark fur and slow flight. Roosts in buildings and hollow trees; active in forested areas across Latvia, especially inland.

Serotine

Larger vesper bat with broad wings and late activity. Roosts in buildings and bat boxes; less common but present in suitable habitats.

Brown long-eared bat

Distinctive for very large ears and slow, manoeuvrable flight. Often gleaning moths from vegetation; roosts in attics and tree cavities, regularly seen near forests.

Pond bat

Medium-sized Myotis preferring wetlands and large water bodies. Forages low over water; locally distributed in suitable marsh and lake habitats.

Natterer’s bat

Gently rounded ears and agile flight for hunting in cluttered woodland. Roosts in tree crevices and buildings; present across Latvia in suitable forested areas.

Brandt’s bat

Small Myotis often roosting in tree holes and buildings. Difficult to distinguish without echolocation calls; regular in forested parts of Latvia.

Whiskered bat

Tiny Myotis species foraging close to vegetation. Often overlaps with Brandt’s bat; seen in forest edges and near water in summer.

Common shrew

Small insectivorous mammal with dense fur and long snout. High metabolism and active day and night; frequently found under leaf litter and garden debris.

Pygmy shrew

One of Europe’s smallest mammals with rapid movements. Prefers moist grassy habitats; easy to miss but common where suitable microhabitats exist.

Water shrew

Semi-aquatic shrew with water-repellent fur and fringed feet. Hunts aquatic invertebrates and small fish; presence indicated by activity near streams and ponds.

European water vole

Chunky semi-aquatic rodent with blunt nose. Builds burrows and feeding platforms; populations fluctuate but present in Latvia’s wetlands.

Bank vole

Reddish-brown vole common in forests and gardens. Important prey item for many predators; often found under logs and dense ground vegetation.

Field vole

Short-tailed vole preferring grassy habitats. Populations rise and fall cyclically; abundant food source for raptors and carnivores in open countryside.

Common vole

Adaptable vole of agricultural landscapes. Forms runways through grass and can reach high densities in favourable years, often noticed by farmers.

Root vole

Vole of wetlands and tundra-like habitats. Prefers damp sedge and marsh vegetation; common in Latvia’s boggy northern and eastern areas.

Harvest mouse

Tiny, golden-brown mouse that nests above ground in grass stems. Agile climber with prehensile tail; a delight to find in reedbeds and tall grass.

Yellow-necked mouse

Large wood mouse with distinctive pale collar. Nocturnal omnivore, often enters buildings; common in Latvian broadleaved and mixed forests.

Wood mouse

Common forest-edge and field mouse with long tail. Active at night, sometimes seen in gardens and barns; important seed disperser.

House mouse

Small rodent closely associated with humans. Brown-grey with long tail. Lives in houses, barns and stores across Latvia; easily overlooked but ubiquitous.

Brown rat

Large adaptable rodent commonly found near human settlements and waterways. Nocturnal and omnivorous; signs frequently seen around docks, sewers and farms.

Grey seal

Large marine mammal often hauled out on shores and islets. Grey-brown with bulky body; increasingly seen in Latvian coastal waters and islands.

Harbour porpoise

Small toothed cetacean with blunt snout and triangular dorsal fin. Now uncommon but still recorded in Latvian Baltic waters, especially in quieter coastal zones.

West European hedgehog

Spiny insectivore that rolls into a ball when threatened. Nocturnal and often seen in gardens and parks feeding on invertebrates; familiar to many Latvians.

Vesper bat (general)

Latvia hosts many small insectivorous bats of the Vespertilionidae family. Most are nocturnal, roost in buildings or trees, and are best found at dusk near water and woodlands.

Mammals in Other Countries