Indian Giant Flying Squirrel

Indian Giant Flying Squirrel Latest News

A rare Indian giant flying squirrel has been recently spotted in Uttarakhand’s Ramnagar forests for the first time in nearly 12 years.

About Indian Giant Flying Squirrel

• The Indian giant flying squirrel (Petaurista philippensis), also known as the large brown flying squirrel or the common giant flying squirrel, is a type of rodent in the Sciuridae family, which includes squirrels. 
• It is capable of gliding flight using a skin membrane, the patagium, stretched between front and hind legs.  
• Scientific Name: Petaurista philippensis

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Indian Giant Flying Squirrel Habitat and Distribution

• It can be found only in Southeast and South Asia and southern and central China. 
• In South Asia they have a patchy distribution in Sri Lanka and India, primarily concentrated in the Himalayan Mountains and northeast regions north of Bombay and Rajasthan. 
• They live in dry deciduous and evergreen forests, usually at higher elevations.
• They can also be found in plantations. 

Indian Giant Flying Squirrel Features

• It is one of the largest flying squirrels, with a body length of about 30 – 45 cm and a tail measuring up to 60 cm. 
• This species has black to gray-brown fur, long and soft on the upper parts and somewhat shorter underneath the body, with a grizzled appearance.  
• The tail is hairy and blackish to gray-brown, the feet are black, and the nose is pale pink with black vibrissae. 
• They are nocturnal animals. 
• They are arboreal and spend most of their life in the canopy.  

Indian Giant Flying Squirrel Conservation Status

It is classified as ‘ Least Concern‘ under the IUCN Red List.

News: IS