U.S. State Mammals: The Official Animal of Every State

The American Bison represents Kansas (1955), Oklahoma (1972), and Wyoming (1985) — and in 2016 became the official national mammal of the United States. Once numbering 30 to 60 million across the Great Plains, bison were hunted to near extinction by the late 1800s, with fewer than 1,000 remaining. Conservation efforts have brought the population back to roughly 500,000, though most live on ranches rather than wild ranges.

The Black Bear is the state mammal of Alabama, Louisiana, New Mexico, and West Virginia. Louisiana's designation is particularly meaningful — the Louisiana black bear inspired the 'teddy bear' after President Theodore Roosevelt famously refused to shoot a tied-up bear during a 1902 hunting trip in Mississippi. The subspecies was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act but was delisted in 2016 after successful recovery.

California's Grizzly Bear is the most ironic state mammal in America — the California grizzly has been extinct since 1924. Despite this, the grizzly remains on California's flag and state seal. Montana chose the closely related grizzly bear subspecies (Ursus arctos horribilis), which still roams the state's wilderness — about 1,800 grizzlies live in Montana today.

Thirteen states designate marine mammals, reflecting the importance of coastal ecosystems. Connecticut's Sperm Whale (designated as 'state animal' rather than marine mammal) honors its deep connection to the 19th-century whaling industry. Hawaii's Humpback Whale recognizes the thousands of humpbacks that migrate to Hawaiian waters each winter to breed.

The North Atlantic Right Whale is designated by Georgia, Massachusetts, and South Carolina — making it the most shared marine mammal. Fewer than 350 survive, making it one of the most endangered large whale species on Earth. Washington chose the Orca in 2005, honoring the Southern Resident orca pods of Puget Sound whose population has declined to roughly 75 individuals. For the coastal-only view, see the dedicated state marine mammals list.

Florida designated two marine mammals: the Manatee and the Bottlenose Dolphin, both in 1975. Alabama added the West Indian Manatee in 2009. Alaska's Bowhead Whale can live over 200 years — possibly the longest-lived mammal on Earth. Rhode Island's Harbor Seal (2016) is one of the most recent marine mammal designations.

Thirteen states designate official state dogs — each with a unique origin story covered in the complete state dogs list. Virginia chose the American Foxhound — bred by George Washington himself at Mount Vernon. Massachusetts designated the Boston Terrier, one of the first dog breeds developed in America. North Carolina's Plott Hound is a bear-hunting breed brought to the Appalachian Mountains by German immigrants in the 1750s. Several states have embraced rescue animals: Delaware changed to the Rescue Dog in 2023, Georgia chose the Adoptable Dog, and New York designated the Service Dog.

Thirteen states also designate state horses. Vermont's Morgan Horse traces to a single stallion named Figure, born around 1789 — every Morgan alive descends from this one horse. Kentucky and Maryland both chose the Thoroughbred. Idaho's Appaloosa was bred by the Nez Perce people of the Pacific Northwest. South Carolina is unique in designating both a heritage horse (Marsh Tacky) and a heritage work animal (Mule). The full equine breakdown is in the state horses list.

Only three states have designated state cats. Maine chose the Maine Coon in 1985, one of the oldest natural breeds in North America. Maryland designated the Calico Cat in 2001, and Massachusetts chose the Tabby Cat in 1988. Colorado and Tennessee took a different approach, naming 'shelter dogs and cats' as their official state pets to promote animal adoption.

Arizona's Ringtail is one of the most obscure state mammals. This nocturnal relative of the raccoon has huge eyes, a long striped tail, and rarely weighs more than 3 pounds. Miners in the 1800s kept ringtails as mousers in their cabins, earning them the nickname 'miner's cat.' Despite living across the Southwest, most Americans have never seen one.

Missouri designated the Missouri Mule — a domestic hybrid — as its state animal in 1995. North Carolina went in a unique direction with the Virginia Opossum as its state marsupial (2013) — the only marsupial native to the U.S. Oklahoma has four mammal designations in different categories: American Bison, White-tailed Deer, Raccoon, and Mexican Free-tailed Bat.

Texas designated three mammals in a single 1995 bill: the Nine-banded Armadillo (the only mammal covered in bony armor that always gives birth to identical quadruplets), the Texas Longhorn, and the Mexican Free-tailed Bat. Washington's Olympic Marmot is found nowhere else in the world — it lives only in the alpine meadows of the Olympic Mountains.

Three states — Indiana, Iowa, and Minnesota — have never designated an official state mammal or state animal. This isn't for lack of candidates: Indiana is home to abundant white-tailed deer, Iowa has thriving wildlife populations, and Minnesota's moose, wolves, and black bears are iconic. Legislative priorities and lack of organized campaigns have left these states without a designation. By contrast, all 50 states have designated an official state bird — a tradition made universal after the civic campaigns of the 1920s through 1970s.

Several states have only partial designations. Maryland has a state dog, state cat, and state horse but no general state mammal. Virginia has a state dog and a state bat but no primary state animal. North Dakota designated only the Nokota Horse as an 'honorary equine' without a broader mammal category.

Campaigns to add state mammals occasionally surface in legislatures. Schoolchildren frequently drive these efforts, submitting petitions and testifying at committee hearings. Indiana has seen multiple proposals to designate the white-tailed deer or the Indiana bat, but none has passed into law.