Flying Squirrel

Flying squirrels are one of the world's least well-known species, capable of gliding. 

Because of their carnivorous and cryptic habits, work on these species is restricted and unpredictable. As a result, there is a comprehensive overview of the biology and conservation status of flying squirrels in India. In India, there are 13 different species of flying squirrels. Name of the species are, Belomys Pearsonii, Biswamoyopterus Biswasi, Eupetaurus Cinereus, Eoglaucomys Fimbriatus, Hylopetes Alboniger, Petaurista Elegans, P. Mishmiensis, P. Magnificus, P. Mechukaensis, P. Nobilis, P. Petaurista, P. Philippensis and Petinomys Fuscocapillus, wherein three are endemic to the country. 

P. Philippensis is found more worldwide and studied than other species. The eastern area of the world has the most insects, followed by three in the northern part, two in the southern part, and one in the western part. The native habitat loss, degradation, and hunting represent a danger to all species of populations. 

Flying squirrel

Flying squirrels are a group of 50 squirrel species belonging to the Sciuridae family. The flying squirrel's scientific name is Pteromyini or Petauristini.

They can’t fly like birds or bats, but they can glide from one tree to another thanks to a patagium, a furry, parachute-like membrane that extends from the wrist to the ankle. Their long tails aid in flight control. They are anatomically the same as other squirrels, but they have a few adaptations to suit their lifestyle: their leg bones are larger, and their hand, foot, and distal vertebrae are shorter. Through their limbs and tail, the flying squirrel can control and steer their glide path. 

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Since a flying squirrel is not capable of true powered flight like a bird or a bat, the flying squirrel can be referred to as "gliding squirrels."

Squirrels in the air glide. They can glide through the air between trees thanks to a special membrane that runs between their front and back legs. When a flying squirrel needs to get from one tree to another without hitting the earth, it leaps from a high branch and stretches its branches out, exposing the gliding membrane. It steers with small leg motions, and as it arrives at its destination, the tail serves as a brake. In a single glide, the flying squirrel can reach more than 150 feet. 

The evolutionary past of the flying squirrel was widely discussed before the twenty-first century. Two genetic experiments contributed significantly to the resolution of this debate. This research finds evidence that flying squirrels are monophyletic and have a sister relationship with tree squirrels, dating back 18–20 million years. The morphological variations between flying squirrel and tree squirrels reveal insight into the development of the gliding process due to their close origins.

The Geographic Range of Flying Squirrel

Flying squirrels are found across most of North America and into Central America, as well as in Southeast Asia and Northern Asia, as well as Siberia and Scandinavia.

In wetlands, woodlands, and jungles, they live in woodpecker holes, discarded bird nests, and tree cavities.

Southern Flying Squirrel 

The southern flying squirrel can be found in the eastern United States, from Maine to Florida, and in the western United States, from Minnesota to Texas. The habitat of the northern flying squirrel is much more patchy, but it is mainly distributed in the Northeast, along the West Coast, and into Idaho and Montana.

Forests and woodlands of deciduous and coniferous trees are home to flying squirrels. Snags, woodpecker pits, nest boxes, and discarded nests of birds and other squirrels serve as their residences. To stay warm in the winter, many squirrels will often build a nest together.

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Flying squirrels are a great escape thanks to their exceptional gliding abilities. After landing on a tree trunk after a flight, a flying squirrel immediately scurries to the opposite side of the trunk to avoid any predators that may have pursued it. Despite this, owls, hawks, tree snakes, and climbing mammals often capture and eat these small rodents.

The southern flying squirrel is social animals and lives in groups hidden within hollowed-out tree cavities, and they sometimes take up residence in abandoned woodpecker holes. These squirrels use ultrasonic vocalisations to interact with their mates. Ultrasonic vocalisations are sounds that are just too high pitched for people to detect. These are the same sounds that bats use to navigate through echolocation.

Siberian Flying Squirrel

The Siberian flying squirrel is a species of Old World flying squirrel that can be found from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Coast. Siberian flying squirrel’s scientific name is Pteromys Volans. In Europe, flying squirrel species only are present. It is considered vulnerable within the European Union, with only Estonia, Finland, and Latvia remaining among the 28 EU countries.

A female Siberian flying squirrel weighs about 150 grams on average, while males are significantly smaller. The body is 13–20 cm tall, with a flattened tail that is 9–14 cm long.

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Leaves, peas, cones, flowers, sprouts, nuts, fruit, and sometimes bird eggs and nestlings make up the diet. When alder and birch catkins are abundant, the squirrel can store them in old woodpecker holes or similar nooks for the winter. The eyes are large and dark in colour. The coat is grey all over, with a black line running between the collar and the forelimb. The belly is noticeably lighter than the back. The hairy glide membrane or patagium, a flap of skin that runs between the front and back legs, is a distinguishing characteristic of flying squirrels. 

The Life Cycle of Flying Squirrel

Flying squirrels have a life expectancy of around six years in the wild, but they can live up to fifteen years in zoos. Because of pests and viruses, juvenile flying squirrels have a high mortality rate. Tree frogs, raccoons, owls, martens, fishers, coyotes, bobcats, and wild cats are also predators of flying squirrels. The northern spotted owl is a common predator of flying squirrels in North America's Pacific Northwest. 

Squirrel Habitat

Squirrels can be found almost anywhere, from tropical rainforests to semiarid deserts, except the high polar regions and the driest deserts. They are mostly herbivores that consume seeds and berries, but some may also eat insects and small vertebrates. 

Fluorescence 

A flying squirrel fluorescent pink in 2019, which was discovered by accident. It is unsure what function this plays at this moment. Under UV light, non-flying squirrels do not fluoresce. However, recent evidence reveals that some of the animals have a strange secret: their fur glows a bright, bubble-gum pink when exposed to ultraviolet light.

These squirrels are one of only a few mammals believed to fluoresce, or the ability to absorb one colour or wavelength of light and emit another.

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Reproduction

Flying squirrels have their mating season in February and March. Female squirrels live with their babies in maternal nest sites when they are born. Until they leave the nest, the mothers cultivate and defend them. The males are not included in the care of their offspring. Some flying squirrels, such as the Japanese dwarf flying squirrel, have just one mating cycle each year, while others, including the Japanese dwarf flying squirrel, have two. The time of year for mating and birth is also determined by the animal. Males and females alike are promiscuous, suggesting they mate with several mates. 

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Flying squirrels are completely hairless at birth, except their whiskers, and lack the majority of their senses. Via the skin, their internal organs can be seen, and their sex can be determined. They are almost entirely grown by week five. They will then adapt to their surroundings and begin to create their minds. They will practise jumping and gliding in the coming weeks of their lives. Their gliding skills are mastered after two and a half months, and they are poised to abandon the nest and survive on their own. The young of certain species, such as the southern flying squirrel of North and Central America, are hairless, born blind, and helpless, while the young of other species are more evolved at birth. Females are the ones that look after the children. There are differences in maturity as well, for example, southern flying squirrels are weaned at two months, while Southeast Asian black flying squirrels are weaned at four months.

Flying squirrels, including their lonely nature, will sometimes nest together, usually with family members, to stay warm during the winter months.

Diet

Due to their highly advanced sense of smell, flying squirrels can quickly forage for food at night. Fruits, seeds, mushrooms, and bird eggs are among the items they gather. Many gliders have advanced diets, and there is evidence that gliders could be able to eat protein-deficient food that is scattered about. Moreover, since gliding is a fast form of locomotion, they can increase foraging time by reducing travel time between patches. In addition, the northern flying squirrel eats larvae, berries, nuts, and mushrooms in the Americas, while the southern flying squirrel will occasionally consume eggs or carrion.

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Squirrel Adaptations

1. Structural Squirrel Adaptations

The flying squirrel's structural adaptations include a strong sense of balance, a sail-like fur skin membrane that stretches from the wrists to the ankles, delicate wrist bones that govern this membrane and enable the squirrel to steer, and a fuzzy tail that balances and stabilises the flight.

Aside from the flap of skin that allows them to glide, they are compact and thin, with a high level of stamina that allows them to remain in the air for longer due to their small height. Since they are nocturnal, they have large eyes and good night vision.

The hind limbs of most squirrel species are longer than the forelimbs, and both species have four to five toes on each hand. Soft pads cover the undersides of the feet, and have a sometimes underdeveloped thumb, and versatile, powerful claws for grasping and climbing.

2. Behavioural Squirrel Adaptations

The flying squirrel lives in holes in trees that may have been created by woodpeckers. It helps them off the field and out of harm's way.

To keep their nest warm throughout the winter, they cover it with leaves. It also aids in the survival of their infants. Squirrels mate once or twice a year and give birth to several offspring that vary by species after a gestation period of three to six weeks. The young are altricial, born without teeth, blind, and nude. In most squirrel species, the female is the sole caregiver for the young, who are weaned at six to ten weeks and sexually mature by the end of their first year. Ground-dwelling squirrels are generally more communal, living in well-developed colonies, while tree-dwelling squirrels are more isolated. Ground squirrels and tree squirrels are usually either diurnal or crepuscular while the flying squirrels tend to be nocturnal. The flying squirrel mates twice a year and has a litter of between 2-3 infants. When they have them, they mature rapidly and glide at the age of eight weeks. They had to convince themselves that they should travel, which is a mental issue.

3. Physical Squirrel Adaptations

The flying squirrel adaptations have too many adaptations to "fly". 

• Since the flying squirrel is a nocturnal animal, it needs wide eyes to see through the dark. Since it is nocturnal, it will escape predators during the day. 

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• The legs of the woolly flying squirrel are connected by two flaps. It can glide through the air or from tree to tree thanks to the flaps. It would do so to stop predators on the ground.

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• The flying squirrel has a thick tail that it uses to keep itself balanced. It must maintain its equilibrium or it will crash to the ground.

The Following are Some of the Benefits of Squirrel Tails to the Squirrel.

• To protect itself from storms, wind, and cold.

• When it gets humid, it cools off by injecting more blood through its tail.

• When hopping around in bushes, as a counterbalance.

• When jumping, use it as a parachute.

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Conclusion About Flying Squirrel

This article provides details about the flying squirrel. Flying squirrels are not capable of true powered flight like a bird or a bat, the flying squirrel can be referred to as "gliding squirrels." The morphological variations between flying squirrels and tree squirrels. Flying squirrels are not dangerous to humans. Flying squirrels are found across most of North America and into Central America, as well as in Southeast Asia and Northern Asia, as well as Siberia and Scandinavia. Hence flying squirrels are called wild animals.