Thomas' Flying Squirrel

Fascinating facts about the Thomas' Flying Squirrel

• In early 2023 researchers finally caught a glimpse of Thomas's flying squirrel in the wild, confirming its presence in Borneo's Kabili-Sepilok reserve. The survey ran "February-March 2023" and used red LED spotlights, thermal imaging and bioacoustic recording.
• Thomas's flying squirrel is one of only two members of the genus Aeromys, placing it in a tiny evolutionary branch of the squirrel family.
• The squirrel's range stretches across two countries in Southeast Asia, linking the rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia. "It is found in Indonesia and Malaysia."
• Thomas's flying squirrel belongs to the tribe Pteromyini, the group of squirrels that have evolved a skin membrane for gliding, allowing them to travel between trees without touching the ground.

At a glance

About the Thomas' Flying Squirrel

In the velvet darkness of the tropical forest, a whispered rustle signals the emergence of Thomas' Flying Squirrel, its large, round eyes shining like lanterns as it stirs from its daytime slumber. With a soft whoosh, it launches itself into the night air, its patagium - a membrane of skin stretching from wrist to ankle - billowing like a sail as it glides effortlessly between the trees, a master of the forest's hidden pathways. As it soars, the moonlight catches the squirrel's silky fur, imbuing it with an ethereal glow, like a phantom navigating the shadows.

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