Lists of mammals by population

This is a collection of lists of mammal species by global population, divided by orders. While numbers are estimates, they have been made by the experts in their fields. For more information on how these estimates were ascertained, see Wikipedia's articles on population biology and population ecology. Much of the data in these lists were created by the IUCN's Global Mammal Assessment Team, which consists of 1700 mammalogists from over 130 countries. They recognize 5488 species in the class.[1][2]

These lists are incomprehensive, as not all mammals have had their numbers estimated. A live specimen of the spade-toothed whale was first observed in December 2010, and the event only recognized as such in November 2012; a global population estimate at this time would be absurd.[3] Again, all numbers are estimates, and a given number of 5000 Arabian tahrs does not necessarily mean there are 500 more of this species than the small red brocket, which has been estimated at 4500: there is a possibility that the latter species has a larger population than the former.[4][5] These lists should not be taken that literally. An estimate of 300–350 North Atlantic right whales compared with 7500 Southern right whales, on the other hand, means that the latter has well over one order of magnitude more individuals than the former.[6][7] The Southern right only has approximately one tenth the population of humpbacks (60 000), which are outnumbered ~10:1 by the common bottlenose dolphin (600 000).[8][9] It is these large differences between species that these lists are meant to convey.

Estimation is accepted practice amongst demographers, and the data included here should be considered no less scientific than that found in anthropological articles like List of countries by population. The 2010 United States census participation rate was 74%;[10] populations in Somalia are ascertained using satellite imagery;[11] the human denizens of Bhutan, according to the national government, number 708 265, while the CIA World Factbook has given figures as high as 2,327,849.[12][13] All populations, human or not, are estimates.

Lists by taxonomic order

See also

References

  1. ↑ IUCN (n.d.). "Initiatives:Mammals". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. IUCN. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
  2. ↑ IUCN (n.d.). "Initiatives:Mammals:Acknowledgements". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. IUCN. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
  3. ↑ Thompson, Kirsten; C. Scott Baker; Anton van Helden; Selina Patel; Craig Miller; Rochelle Constantine (6 November 2012). "The world's rarest whale". Current Biology 22 (21): R905–R906. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2012.08.055. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
  4. ↑ Insall, D. (2008). "Arabitragus jayakari". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. IUCN. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
  5. ↑ Duarte, J.M.B. (2008). "Mazama bororo". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. IUCN. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
  6. ↑ Reilly, S.B., Bannister, J.L., Best, P.B., Brown, M., Brownell Jr., R.L., Butterworth, D.S., Clapham, P.J., Cooke, J., Donovan, G., Urbán, J. & Zerbini, A.N. (2012). "Eubalaena glacialis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. IUCN. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
  7. ↑ Reilly, S.B., Bannister, J.L., Best, P.B., Brown, M., Brownell Jr., R.L., Butterworth, D.S., Clapham, P.J., Cooke, J., Donovan, G.P., Urbán, J. & Zerbini, A.N. (2012). "Eubalaena australis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. IUCN. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
  8. ↑ Reilly, S.B., Bannister, J.L., Best, P.B., Brown, M., Brownell Jr., R.L., Butterworth, D.S., Clapham, P.J., Cooke, J., Donovan, G.P., Urbán, J. & Zerbini, A.N. (2008). "Megaptera novaeangliae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. IUCN. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
  9. ↑ Lichtenstein, G., Baldi, R., Villalba, L., Hoces, D., Baigún, R. & Laker, J. (2012). "Tursiops truncatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. IUCN. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
  10. ↑ "Nation Achieves 74 Percent Final Mail Participation in 2010 Census". United States Census Bureau. 21 October 2010. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
  11. ↑ Yusuf, Mohammed (29 June 2012). "UNHCR Tries to Count Somalia". Voice of America. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
  12. ↑ "Bhutan Portal: About Bhutan". Ministry of Information and Communications, Government of Bhutan. 2011. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
  13. ↑ "Bhutan". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 31 May 2007. Archived from the original on 12 June 2007. Retrieved 2012-11-21.