Mammals are characterized as warm-blooded (body temperature is internally regulated and constant, regardless of the external temperature) animals whose skin is more or less covered with hair and the young are nourished with milk.
Alabama is home to 62 native mammals, including 22 species of rodents, 16 species of bats, 11 species of carnivores, six species of insectivores, four species of rabbits, one ungulate, one opossum and one armadillo.
In addition, there are six exotic (non-native) species that have been introduced in Alabama - the black rat, Norway rat, house mouse, nutria (coypu), fallow deer and feral swine. Three species of carnivores are included as accidentals, meaning a sighting was verified; however, since the sighting was far outside the animal's normal geographic distribution, it is not expected to be seen again.
Historically, four additional species occurred in Alabama, but have been extirpated (occur in other states, but no longer in Alabama): they include the red wolf, puma, elk and bison.
