Outdoor Life · Wildlife
Mammals of Schuylkill County
28 documented taxa of class Mammalia recorded in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania — by iNaturalist research-grade records as of 2026-06-18 — with detailed accounts of the most notable, signature, and introduced species.
How this list is sourced. County presence is anchored to
records filtered to Schuylkill County — iNaturalist research-grade
observations (place 1470).
Observation counts are an effort-biased signal of recording activity as of
2026-06-18, not a census. Biology and identification draw on state
and museum authorities; per-species links go to Wikipedia for cross-reference
only.
Conservation ranks here are relayed from NatureServe / iNaturalist and are not definitive Pennsylvania ranks — confirm against the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP) before relying on them.
Detailed accounts
28 of the 28 documented taxa are
profiled in detail below — the most-recorded, signature, introduced, and
notable species. The complete checklist follows.
Virginia Opossum
Didelphis virginiana — Didelphidae
Native
- Also known as
- opossum, possum.
- Description & ID
- house-cat-sized, grizzled gray fur, pointed white face, naked scaly prehensile tail, hairless ears, opposable hind "thumbs." Up to ~50 prominent teeth.
- Habitat
- highly adaptable — woodlands, farmland, stream corridors, suburban and urban edges.
- County status
- native and present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records for the county [S1]. Common but under-recorded due to nocturnal habits.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. No special status. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- omnivorous scavenger; famous for "playing possum" (involuntary tonic immobility). Low body temperature makes it a poor rabies reservoir; eats large numbers of ticks and carrion.
More on Wikipedia →
Northern Short-tailed Shrew
Blarina brevicauda — Soricidae
Native
- Also known as
- big short-tailed shrew.
- Description & ID
- robust shrew, slate-gray velvety fur, very short tail, tiny eyes, concealed ears, long pointed snout. One of the few venomous mammals — toxic saliva subdues prey.
- Habitat
- moist woodlands, fields, and leaf litter with abundant cover; common in forest-floor runways.
- County status
- present; 8 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1] — relatively well-recorded for a shrew.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- voracious insectivore that also eats small vertebrates; uses echolocation-like clicks. A key prey item for owls and foxes.
More on Wikipedia →
Big Brown Bat
Eptesicus fuscus — Vespertilionidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large for a PA bat (wingspan ~32–40 cm), glossy brown fur, broad nose, black wings and face. Slow, steady flight.
- Habitat
- forages over fields, water, and lit areas; roosts in buildings, barns, hollow trees, and occasionally caves.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]. The bat most likely to be found roosting in buildings.
- Conservation status
- native; among the more resilient species to white-nose syndrome [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- insectivore favoring beetles; one of the last bats active in late fall.
More on Wikipedia →
Eastern Red Bat
Lasiurus borealis — Vespertilionidae
Native
- Description & ID
- medium tree bat with rusty-red to orange fur (males brighter), heavily furred tail membrane; roosts solitarily in foliage, resembling a dead leaf.
- Habitat
- woodland edges and riparian areas; a migratory, foliage-roosting species rather than a cave bat.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1].
- Conservation status
- native; PA NatureServe rank S4 (apparently secure) [S1][S9]. Less affected by white-nose syndrome but vulnerable to wind turbines. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- migrates south in winter; among the few mammals where females routinely bear large litters (up to 4–5 young).
More on Wikipedia →
Eastern Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus — Leporidae
Native
- Description & ID
- familiar brown rabbit with white cottony tail underside, large ears, rusty nape. Distinguishing it from the rare Appalachian cottontail requires close examination.
- Habitat
- brushy field edges, thickets, hedgerows, gardens, and early-successional habitat throughout the county.
- County status
- present and common; 24 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1] — among the most-recorded county mammals.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. A primary small-game species in PA [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- prolific breeder; key prey for foxes, hawks, and owls. The very similar Appalachian cottontail (S. obscurus), a higher-elevation species of conservation concern, may occur on the county's ridges but is not confirmed by county research-grade records.
More on Wikipedia →
Eastern Chipmunk
Tamias striatus — Sciuridae
Native
- Description & ID
- small ground squirrel, reddish-brown with five dark and two light dorsal stripes and striped face; cheek pouches for caching seeds.
- Habitat
- deciduous woodlands, stone walls, woodpiles, suburban edges; needs cover and burrow sites.
- County status
- present and abundant; 62 research-grade iNaturalist records — the most-recorded mammal in the county [S1].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- semi-hibernates, waking to feed from cached stores. Important seed disperser and prey species.
More on Wikipedia →
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis — Sciuridae
Native
- Description & ID
- medium tree squirrel, gray (sometimes black/melanistic) with bushy tail and pale belly.
- Habitat
- mature hardwood and mixed forests, parks, and wooded neighborhoods.
- County status
- present and abundant; 37 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. Popular small-game species [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- scatter-hoards nuts, aiding oak and hickory regeneration; active year-round.
More on Wikipedia →
American Red Squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus — Sciuridae
Native
- Also known as
- pine squirrel, chickaree.
- Description & ID
- small, rusty-red above with white belly and white eye-ring; smaller and noisier than the gray squirrel.
- Habitat
- coniferous and mixed forests; favors stands of hemlock, pine, and spruce on cooler ridges.
- County status
- present; 10 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- fiercely territorial; builds large cone-scale middens. Indicator of conifer habitat.
More on Wikipedia →
Southern Flying Squirrel
Glaucomys volans — Sciuridae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, nocturnal, soft gray-brown fur, large dark eyes, and a patagium (gliding membrane) between fore- and hind-limbs; flattened tail.
- Habitat
- mature deciduous and mixed forests with cavities; often unnoticed despite being common.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1] — under-recorded due to nocturnality.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (The northern flying squirrel, G. sabrinus, is state-endangered but a higher-elevation specialist not confirmed for the county.) (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- glides up to ~45 m between trees; cavity-nester that caches nuts. Largely insectivorous/omnivorous.
More on Wikipedia →
Groundhog
Marmota monax — Sciuridae
Native
- Also known as
- woodchuck, whistle-pig.
- Description & ID
- stout, grizzled brown marmot with short legs and bushy tail; the largest sciurid in PA.
- Habitat
- field edges, meadows, roadsides, fencerows; digs extensive burrows.
- County status
- present and common; 23 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- a true hibernator. Abandoned burrows shelter foxes, skunks, and rabbits. Herbivorous.
More on Wikipedia →
American Beaver
Castor canadensis — Castoridae
Native
- Description & ID
- largest North American rodent; dense brown fur, webbed hind feet, and a flat scaly paddle tail.
- Habitat
- streams, ponds, and wetlands with woody vegetation; builds dams and lodges.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]. Extirpated historically in PA and restored through 20th-century reintroduction [S5].
- Conservation status
- native; secure and managed as a furbearer [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- keystone ecosystem engineer — its dams create wetlands benefiting fish, amphibians, and waterfowl.
More on Wikipedia →
Southern Red-backed Vole
Clethrionomys gapperi — Cricetidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small vole with a rusty-red dorsal band contrasting gray sides; longer-tailed than meadow vole.
- Habitat
- cool, moist forests with mossy logs, rocks, and abundant litter; favors hemlock and northern hardwood stands.
- County status
- present; 7 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- eats fungi, seeds, and vegetation; disperses mycorrhizal fungal spores important to forest trees.
More on Wikipedia →
Eastern Meadow Vole
Microtus pennsylvanicus — Cricetidae
Native
- Also known as
- field mouse, meadow mouse.
- Description & ID
- stocky, short-tailed vole, brown to blackish fur, small ears and eyes.
- Habitat
- grasslands, old fields, marsh edges, and meadows with dense ground cover.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1] — almost certainly far more abundant than records suggest.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- one of the most prolific mammals; central prey base for hawks, owls, foxes, and weasels. Creates surface runways through grass.
More on Wikipedia →
Muskrat
Ondatra zibethicus — Cricetidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large semiaquatic rodent, dense brown fur, partially webbed hind feet, and a laterally flattened, scaly tail.
- Habitat
- marshes, ponds, slow streams, and ditches with emergent vegetation; builds lodges of cattails or bank burrows.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; harvested furbearer [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- primarily herbivorous (cattails, rushes); important prey for mink and a wetland-shaping species.
More on Wikipedia →
House Mouse
Mus musculus — Muridae
Introduced
- Description & ID
- small gray-brown mouse with relatively large ears, scaly nearly hairless tail, and a musky odor; smaller-eyed than native deer mice.
- Habitat
- strongly commensal — buildings, barns, granaries; less common far from human structures.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]. Introduced (Old World origin) [S1].
- Conservation status
- non-native; not of conservation concern. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- prolific breeder and agricultural/household pest.
More on Wikipedia →
North American Porcupine
Erethizon dorsatum — Erethizontidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large, slow rodent covered in up to 30,000 barbed quills over dark guard hairs; rounded body and small face.
- Habitat
- mixed and coniferous forests, rocky slopes; dens in hollow trees, logs, and rock crevices.
- County status
- present; 9 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1] — well-recorded for a nocturnal species.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- herbivore that gnaws bark and buds, sometimes girdling trees; quills cannot be "thrown" but detach on contact. Chief predator is the fisher.
More on Wikipedia →
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus — Ursidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large, glossy black bear (occasionally cinnamon), tan muzzle, no shoulder hump; PA's only bear.
- Habitat
- extensive forested ridges, swamps, and mountain laurel thickets; ranges widely.
- County status
- present; 8 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]. Schuylkill County lies within PA's well-established bear range, and populations have grown statewide [S5].
- Conservation status
- native; secure and managed with a regulated hunting season [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- omnivorous; enters winter dormancy. Generally shy but draws to human food sources.
More on Wikipedia →
Coyote
Canis latrans — Canidae
Native
- Also known as
- eastern coyote.
- Description & ID
- larger than western coyotes (eastern animals carry some wolf ancestry); grizzled gray-brown, bushy black-tipped tail carried low when running.
- Habitat
- generalist — forests, farmland, and suburban edges throughout the county.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1], though common and widespread; under-recorded due to wariness and nocturnality.
- Conservation status
- native (range-expanded); secure; harvested/hunted year-round in PA [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- apex/meso-predator filling the niche left by extirpated wolves; eats rodents, deer, fruit, and carrion.
More on Wikipedia →
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes — Canidae
Native
- Description & ID
- rusty-red coat, black legs and ears, white-tipped bushy tail.
- Habitat
- mosaic of fields, woodland edges, and farmland; tolerant of suburban areas.
- County status
- native and present; 8 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; furbearer [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- opportunistic predator of rodents and rabbits; caches food. Often shares range with the gray fox but uses more open habitat.
More on Wikipedia →
Gray Fox
Urocyon cinereoargenteus — Canidae
Native
- Description & ID
- grizzled gray back, rusty flanks/neck, and a black-tipped (not white-tipped) tail with a black dorsal mane.
- Habitat
- prefers brushy woodlands and rocky terrain; more forest-associated than the red fox.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; furbearer [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- the only North American canid that routinely climbs trees; omnivorous, eating fruit and small animals.
More on Wikipedia →
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor — Procyonidae
Native
- Description & ID
- stocky, gray-brown, black facial mask and ringed bushy tail; dexterous front paws.
- Habitat
- woodlands near water, wetlands, farmland, and urban/suburban areas; dens in tree cavities and structures.
- County status
- present and common; 7 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; furbearer [S5]. A primary rabies-vector species in the eastern US. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- highly omnivorous and adaptable; strong night vision and tactile foraging.
More on Wikipedia →
Striped Skunk
Mephitis mephitis — Mephitidae
Native
- Description & ID
- cat-sized, black with a white head stripe splitting into two dorsal stripes; bushy tail. Defensive musk spray.
- Habitat
- field edges, farmland, woodland borders, and suburbs; dens in burrows and under structures.
- County status
- present; 3 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; furbearer [S5]. A rabies-vector species. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- omnivore; eats insects, grubs, small animals, eggs, and fruit. Largely nocturnal.
More on Wikipedia →
American Mink
Neogale vison — Mustelidae
Native
- Description & ID
- sleek, dark-brown semiaquatic weasel with a small white chin patch and bushy tail.
- Habitat
- stream banks, ponds, wetlands, and lake margins.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; furbearer [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- agile swimmer and skilled predator of muskrats, fish, frogs, and crayfish; dens in bank burrows.
More on Wikipedia →
Long-tailed Weasel
Neogale frenata — Mustelidae
Native
- Description & ID
- slender weasel, brown above with buff/yellowish underparts and a black-tipped tail; turns white ("ermine"-like) in northern winters.
- Habitat
- diverse — fields, brush, woodland edges, and farmland, usually near water and prey.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- ferocious rodent and rabbit predator far larger than itself; an important control on small-mammal populations.
More on Wikipedia →
North American River Otter
Lontra canadensis — Mustelidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large, streamlined semiaquatic mustelid, dark-brown with a paler throat, webbed feet, and thick tapering tail.
- Habitat
- clean rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands with abundant fish.
- County status
- present; 3 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]. A conservation success — recovered in PA after historical decline.
- Conservation status
- native; PA NatureServe rank S3 (vulnerable) [S1][S9]; observation localities are obscured to protect the species. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- sensitive to water quality; primarily piscivorous. Its recovery reflects improving stream conditions in the region.
More on Wikipedia →
Domestic Cat (feral/free-ranging)
Felis catus — Felidae
Introduced
- Description & ID
- familiar domestic cat; free-ranging and feral animals are recorded in natural areas.
- County status
- present; 3 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]. Introduced [S1].
- Conservation status
- non-native, domestic. Free-ranging cats are a significant predator of birds and small mammals. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- included for completeness; included in iNaturalist's mammal records for the county.
More on Wikipedia →
Domestic Dog
Canis familiaris — Canidae
Introduced
- Description & ID
- domestic dog.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]. Introduced/domestic [S1].
- Conservation status
- non-native, domestic. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- included for completeness as recorded in county iNaturalist data.
More on Wikipedia →
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus — Cervidae
Native
- Description & ID
- PA's familiar large deer; reddish-brown in summer, gray-brown in winter, white tail underside raised when alarmed. Males grow branching antlers shed annually.
- Habitat
- forest-field edges, woodlands, farmland, and suburbs — ubiquitous across the county.
- County status
- present and abundant; 50 research-grade iNaturalist records — the second-most-recorded mammal in the county [S1].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; PA's premier big-game species under managed hunting [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- keystone herbivore whose high densities strongly shape forest regeneration; vector host for blacklegged ticks. State mammal of Pennsylvania.
More on Wikipedia →
Complete checklist
Every taxon recorded research-grade for Schuylkill County as of 2026-06-18,
by provenance tier. 28 are
iNaturalist research-grade records.
28 iNaturalist county records
Expected but not yet confirmed
These species plausibly occur in the county's habitats but lack a
county-level record as of 2026-06-18. They are candidates, not
county records — listed so the checklist's silence on them is not
mistaken for confirmed absence, and excluded from the counts and the dataset
above. Confirmation should cite a county-level record.
- Bobcat (Lynx rufus) — forested ridges; expanding in PA. [S5][S10]
- Fisher (Pekania pennanti) — reintroduced to PA forests; range now includes the region. [S5]
- Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus) — expected from PA's bat fauna; cave species severely reduced by white-nose syndrome. [S5][S8]
- Northern Long-eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis) — expected from PA's bat fauna; cave species severely reduced by white-nose syndrome. [S5][S8]
- Tricolored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus) — expected from PA's bat fauna; cave species severely reduced by white-nose syndrome. [S5][S8]
- Indiana Bat (Myotis sodalis) — expected from PA's bat fauna; cave species severely reduced by white-nose syndrome. [S5][S8]
- Eastern Small-footed Bat (Myotis leibii) — expected from PA's bat fauna; cave species severely reduced by white-nose syndrome. [S5][S8]
- Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus) — expected from PA's bat fauna; cave species severely reduced by white-nose syndrome. [S5][S8]
- Silver-haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans) — expected from PA's bat fauna; cave species severely reduced by white-nose syndrome. [S5][S8]
- White-footed Mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) — abundant native woodland mice almost certainly present countywide. [S10]
- Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) — abundant native woodland mice almost certainly present countywide. [S10]
- Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus hudsonius) — . [S10]
- Woodland Jumping Mouse (Napaeozapus insignis) — . [S10]
- Eastern Mole (Scalopus aquaticus) — . [S10]
- Hairy-tailed Mole (Parascalops breweri) — . [S10]
- Star-nosed Mole (Condylura cristata) — . [S10]
- Masked Shrew (Sorex cinereus) — . [S10]
- Smoky Shrew (Sorex fumeus) — . [S10]
- Least Shrew (Cryptotis parva) — . [S10]
- Woodland Vole (Microtus pinetorum) — . [S10]
- Southern Bog Lemming (Synaptomys cooperi) — . [S10]
- Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus) — commensal, certainly present. [S10]
- Ermine/Short-tailed Weasel (Mustela richardsonii) — on cooler ridges. [S10]
- Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus) — possible on higher forested ridges at the southern edge of its PA range. [S10]
Sources
← All wildlife