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.

Hagen’s Flying Squirrel

Hagen’s Flying Squirrel / Petinomys hageni
Petinomys hageni

Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae, Pteromyini

Description: A medium-sized glider with dull reddish-brown fur, tipped with buff on the upper parts of the body. Its underparts are off-white. A broad band of red-brown extends from between and around its eyes to its ears.

There are long, stiff hairs behind and in front of its ears. Its tail is thickly haired, blackish-red above and buff with blackish-red tips of fur below.

Distribution: Occurs in Indonesia in western Kalimantan (known only from a single specimen from Pontianak), and on Sumatra.

Reproduction: Nothing is known.

Diet: Nothing is known.

Ecology: Nothing is known.

Status: Data Deficient.

Hagen’s Flying Squirrel / Petinomys hageni
Hagen’s Flying Squirrel
Petinomys hageni
Distribution: Hagen’s Flying Squirrel
HB230–280 mm
TL230–250 mm
HF45–47 mm
Mc. 388 g

Other species:


Travancore Flying Squirrel / Petinomys fuscocapillus
Travancore Flying Squirrel

Petinomys fuscocapillus

Whiskered Flying Squirrel / Petinomys genibarbis
Whiskered Flying Squirrel

Petinomys genibarbis

Siberut Flying Squirrel / Petinomys lugens
Siberut Flying Squirrel

Petinomys lugens

Mindanao Flying Squirrel / Petinomys mindanensis
Mindanao Flying Squirrel

Petinomys mindanensis

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.