Flying squirrel
Indian giant flying squirrel is a species of rodent family, capable of gliding between tree branches. They glide using a skin attached to legs on either side of the body, which works like a hand glider. They are nocturnal and arboreal species typically found in the thick canopies.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Family: Sciuridae
Scientific name: Pteromyini
IUCN: Least Concern (LC)
Found in: North America, Central America, Asia, NE Europe
Food type: Omnivore
Food: Fruits, seed, bud, flowers, insects, gastropods, spider, fungi, bird’s egg, tree sap and young birds
Predators: Tree snake, Racoons, Owls, Martens, fishers, coyotes, bobcats and feral cats
How it glides
Patagium is a furred parachute like skin membrane connecting fore and hind limbs, enabling it to glide. Tail of the flying squirrel works as an air brake helping it to land safely.
First spotting
Dandeli in north west karnataka is one of habitats for Indian giant flying squirrel. During our stay on Dandeli, on a night, the homestay host identified a flying squirrel call near the dinning area. He took us to spot the animal in the nearby tree canopy. Armed with torches, we spotted one of them in the tree foraging on its food.
Trapped
The following morning when we got up to the dinning area, we were told by the helper that there is a flying squirrel nearby on the fence. We made our way quickly and found the flying squirrel perched on the barbed wire fence. Seeing it, we had an inkling that something is amiss.
The flying squirrel didn't move when we approached it. It eyes were wide and motionless. A moment later, it slowly moved its limbs. The flying squirrel looked tired and trapped. We suspected that during its glide in the night, it might have got trapped in the barbed wire fence and would have injured itself. Flying squirrel typically delved in the tree tops and generally glides to ground when there is predator attack.
Flying squirrel had a lucky escape as it was not attacked by any predator when it was trapped. It will need some help from us to get out the trap.
First spotting
Dandeli in north west karnataka is one of habitats for Indian giant flying squirrel. During our stay on Dandeli, on a night, the homestay host identified a flying squirrel call near the dinning area. He took us to spot the animal in the nearby tree canopy. Armed with torches, we spotted one of them in the tree foraging on its food.
Trapped
The following morning when we got up to the dinning area, we were told by the helper that there is a flying squirrel nearby on the fence. We made our way quickly and found the flying squirrel perched on the barbed wire fence. Seeing it, we had an inkling that something is amiss.
The flying squirrel didn't move when we approached it. It eyes were wide and motionless. A moment later, it slowly moved its limbs. The flying squirrel looked tired and trapped. We suspected that during its glide in the night, it might have got trapped in the barbed wire fence and would have injured itself. Flying squirrel typically delved in the tree tops and generally glides to ground when there is predator attack.
Flying squirrel had a lucky escape as it was not attacked by any predator when it was trapped. It will need some help from us to get out the trap.
Rescuing
While we were contemplating on the rescue possibilities, we were joined by the homestay host. He quickly used some wooden sticks to probe the squirrel and found that its tail got entangled in the fence. The flying squirrel's tail has injured as it got stuck in the barbed fence. The squirrel had tried to relieve itself and in the process got more entangled and injured.
He then improvised a jute sack as a hand glow and disentangled the squirrel from the fence. The squirrel was ferocious under agonising pain and trying to bite and attack his hand. The moment its tail got out of tangle, it quickly leaped on the nearby tree and climbed up.
We assessed the that tail had superficial injury to its skin and fur and it did not impact its movement. The flying squirrel quickly climbed by the tree canopy and vanished.
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