Arrow-tailed Flying Squirrel

Description: The fur on its upper parts is blackish or dark grey-brown with rust-coloured to bright orange tips, especially in the midline. Its underparts are white or buff-white on grey under-fur. The upper side of its gliding membrane is black with a thin white margin.

Its tail is distinctly flattened and somewhat broader at the base than at the tip, and is blackish with a buff or orange-brown base and can have a white tip. Its feet are yellowish-brown and its underparts are creamy white. Its cheeks are greyish, often with an orange tinge and there is a pale patch behind the ear. It has a pale grey patch on each side of the base of its tail, often tinged with yellow but never distinctly orange.

The Red-cheeked Flying Squirrel has orange cheeks and base of the tail, while Vordermann’s Flying Squirrel has a buff-coloured margin to the gliding membrane.

Distribution: Occurs on Java and on Bangka Island in Indonesia. It is common in primary and secondary forest with some records near fruit and rubber plantations.

Reproduction: Nothing is known.

Diet: Captive specimens have been found to eat various food items such as rambutan, apple, grape, guava, rolled oats and bread. One captive animal also caught a 25 centimetre Vine Snake (Ahaetulla sp.), chewed its head off and ate it all from the tail upwards.

Ecology: Emits a loud ‘keurr, keurr, keurr, keurr’ noise that appears to express pleasure, annoyance and fear depending on the tone used which can be gentle, harsh or pained. Males appear to show significant territoriality as fights between males in captivity have resulted in a number of deaths. Glides as long as 137 metres have been observed.

Status: Data Deficient.

Note: Records of this species in Borneo probably refer to the Grey-cheeked Flying Squirrel.