Logo: Gliding mammals of the world

The world’s gliding mammals are an extraordinary group of animals that have the ability to glide from tree to tree with seemingly effortless grace. There are more than 60 species of gliding mammals including the flying squirrels from Europe and North America, the scaly-tailed flying squirrels from central Africa and the gliding possums of Australia and New Guinea.

Namdapha Flying Squirrel

Namdapha Flying Squirrel / Biswamoyopterus biswasi
Biswamoyopterus biswasi

Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae, Pteromyini

Description: A large species whose entire underside is white with a faint orange-rufous tint on the patagium.

Like Aeretes and Aeromys, it has a cylindrical tail and well-developed interfemoral membranes, but also has ear tufts like those found in Belomys and Trogopterus. These two genera do not have any interfemoral membrane and their tail is not cylindrical but distichous.

Distribution: This species is known only from the type locality Deban, east of Miao, Namdapha, Tirap Districts in Arunachal Pradesh, in north-east India. It appears to be restricted to the temperate broad-leaved forests of the eastern Himalayan region.

Reproduction: Nothing is known.

Diet: Nothing is known.

Ecology: Nothing is known.

Status: Critically Endangered.

Namdapha Flying Squirrel / Biswamoyopterus biswasi
Namdapha Flying Squirrel
Biswamoyopterus biswasi
Distribution: Namdapha Flying Squirrel
HBc. 405 mm
TLc. 605 mm
HFc. 78 mm
MNot known

Other species:


Kashmir Flying Squirrel / Eoglaucomys fimbriatus
Kashmir Flying Squirrel

Eoglaucomys fimbriatus

Random species

Feathertail Glider / Acrobates pygmaeus

Feathertail Glider
Acrobates pygmaeus

Red-cheeked Flying Squirrel / Hylopetes spadiceus

Red-cheeked Flying Squirrel
Hylopetes spadiceus

Japanese Flying Squirrel / Pteromys momonga

Japanese Flying Squirrel
Pteromys momonga


Gliding Mammals of the World provides, for the first time, a synthesis of all that is known about the biology of these intriguing mammals. It includes a brief description of each species, together with a distribution map and a beautiful full-color painting.

An introduction outlines the origins and biogeography of each group of gliding mammals and examines the incredible adaptations that allow them to launch themselves and glide from tree to tree.