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.

Tibetan Woolly Flying Squirrel

Tibetan Woolly Flying Squirrel / Eupetaurus sp.
Eupetaurus sp.

Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae, Pteromyini

Description: Similar in size and appearance to the Pakistan Woolly Flying Squirrel; however, the upper parts of this species are typically more brown than grey.

The base of its fur is deep slatey-grey, succeeded by pale greyish-brown, followed by the exposed portion which is still paler and occasionally marked by white rings, narrowly tipped with black. Its fore and hind feet are brown, with hairs terminating in yellowish tips. Its underparts are grey, washing with yellow on the under surface of the membranes.

Distribution: Occurs in several localities in the eastern Himalayas including Sikkim (north-eastern India), Bhutan, Tibet (= Xizang, China) and Yunnan Province (south-western China). Found at elevations from 1500–3000 metres in mountainous regions with mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests with Yunnan Pine (Pinus yunnanensis), Spruce (Picea sp.) and Junipers (Juniperus sp.).

Reproduction: Nothing is known.

Diet: Nothing is known.

Ecology: Very little known; it may have many similarities to the Pakistan Woolly Flying Squirrel due to the similarity of its teeth.

Status: Not Evaluated. This species is awaiting formal description.

Note: Originally described in 1878 by John Anderson, Superintendant of the Indian Museum in Calcutta (= Kolkata), it was not given a name and for many years was considered a disjunct population of the Pakistan Woolly Flying Squirrel.

Genetic studies have revealed that the two populations of woolly flying squirrels on either side of the Himalayas have been separated from each other for some 10.8 million years.

Tibetan Woolly Flying Squirrel / Eupetaurus sp.
Tibetan Woolly Flying Squirrel
Eupetaurus sp.
Distribution: Tibetan Woolly Flying Squirrel
HB468 mm
TL~350+ mm
HFUnknown
MUnknown

Other species:


Kashmir Flying Squirrel / Eoglaucomys fimbriatus
Kashmir Flying Squirrel

Eoglaucomys fimbriatus

Northern Flying Squirrel / Glaucomys sabrinus
Northern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys sabrinus

Southern Flying Squirrel / Glaucomys volans
Southern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys volans

Random species

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.