Red Giant Flying Squirrel: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Squirrels and Marmots · day 2 of 7

Five facts

1. It sails from tree to tree in long glides of at least 100 to 150 m, though most of its trips are under 50 m.
2. Despite its name, it cannot flap like a bat. It spreads a sheet of skin stretched between its legs and glides.
3. It is one of the longest squirrels: its body can reach 55 cm, and its tail can add up to 63 cm more.
4. It spends the day in a tree hole 10 m or more above the ground, and sometimes has to compete with hornbills for the same hole.
5. It mostly eats leaves and prefers young ones. When it feeds on flowers, there are strong signs it may help pollinate some trees.

The quiz

1. How long are most of its glides?

• No more than 50 m (correct)
• Over 2 km
• About 1 km
• Never more than 2 m

Its longest glides reach 100 to 150 m, yet most of them stop at 50 m or less.

2. How does it travel through the air?

• It flaps feathered wings
• It glides on skin between its limbs (correct)
• It flaps like a bat
• It jumps without any skin flaps

It glides by spreading the skin between its limbs, rather than flying like a bat.

3. How long can its tail be?

• Up to 10 cm
• Up to 20 cm
• Up to 2 m
• Up to 63 cm (correct)

Its tail measures 34 to 63 cm.

4. Which birds sometimes compete with it for tree holes?

• Penguins
• Flamingos
• Hornbills (correct)
• Ostriches

The two sometimes fight over the very same tree holes.

5. What does it mostly eat?

• Insects
• Leaves (correct)
• Fish
• Small lizards

It is mainly a leaf-eater and prefers young leaves; insect-eating has not been reported in this species.

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