Rote Liste Säugetiere

The new German checklist of mammal species covers 117 wild taxa. Among these, 10 taxa are not yet established but occur occasionally. 10 taxa of the checklist are recognised as “extinct or presumed extinct” and this number remained stable over the last decade. However, the present risk assessment categorises 7 taxa as “threatened by extinction” (i. a. common hamster and Eurasian lynx). In total, 23 taxa, for example European hare, garden dormouse and western polecat, are categorised as “threatened”. Additionally, 9 taxa are “extremely rare” in Germany, including mountain hare and alpine ibex. For 16 taxa Germany has an increased
responsibility. Many mammal taxa are exposed to the threat of habitat loss and fragmentation. Adverse effects possibly caused by climate change are also a concern. The present checklist includes 12 taxa that have been introduced to Germany by human activity since 1492. Among these so-called neozoa, there are some species (i. a. coypu and northern raccoon) that have a potential negative impact on native ecosystems.