Flying squirrel

About: Flying squirrel is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 360 publications have been published within this topic receiving 5689 citations. The topic is also known as: flying squirrel.

Habitat analysis of a disjunct population of the carolina northern flying squirrel ( glaucomys sabrinus coloratus )

Abstract: The northern flying squirrel Glaucomys sabrinus occurs in a variety of forest types over most of North America, with disjunct populations in the southern Appalachians, Black Hills, southern Rocky Mountains, and Sierra Nevada (Wells- Gosling and Heaney, 1984). A subspecies of sabrinus, the Carolina northern flying squirrel, sabrinus coloratus, is a small nocturnal flying squirrel found in the southern Appalachians. One population of Carolina northern flying squirrel occurs within hemlock-northern hardwood forests along the Cherohala Skyway in western North Carolina. This subspecies was listed as federally endangered on July 1, 1985 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1990) largely due to declining populations from habitat loss (Loeb et al., 2000). I sought to determine if the larger habitat surrounding the areas of documented squirrel activity is suitable for squirrel persistence, how habitat size and quality compares between sites with squirrel activity and other sites, and what types of foods the squirrels were consuming. Vegetation surveys of sites with documented G. s. coloratus activity, either den sites or capture sites, and paired random sites approximately 70 meters away were conducted. In addition to general habitat knowledge, these surveys provided information for GIS analysis of the larger habitat around the three focal areas. Using ArcGIS v. 9.3.1 (ESRI, Redlands, CA, USA), a model delineating potential Carolina northern flying squirrel habitat based on six parameters: slope, elevation, aspect, spectral signature of den sites, soil types, and tree height data was created. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and sequencing was performed on G. s. coloratus scat samples to determine fungal or bacterial diet composition. Vegetation surveys revealed G. s. coloratus were utilizing habitat from hemlock to northern hardwood forest and habitat patches that were similar to nearby areas along the Cherohala Skyway. The GIS model revealed an area of potential G. s. coloratus habitat to the north (Stratton Bald). Though the distance from Stratton Bald to my three study sites exceeds G. s. coloratus travel distance, the model also revealed an area much closer than Stratton Bald of smaller suitable patches grouped relatively close together. BLAST results of sequenced DGGE bands of squirrel scat revealed similarity to common fungi, including both ascomycetes and basidiomycetes.

Appearance of the Siberian Flying Squirrel, Pteromys volans L., 1785 (Sciuridae, Mammalia), in the Lake Glubokoe Nature Reserve, Moscow Region

Abstract: The list of mammals of the Lake Glubokoe Nature Reserve (Ruza district, Moscow region, Russia) was supplemented with the flying squirrel (Pteromys volans). The contemporary border of the native range of the flying squirrel goes through the northeastern part of Moscow region (oblast). No individuals of this species had been recorded in the western parts of the region until the end of the 20th century. However, a flying squirrel population has recently appeared in the vicinity of the Zvenigorod Biological Station, Moscow State University. This population originates from several animals transported to the biological station for scientific purposes. As genetic studies have shown, individuals from this population belong to the endemic Far Eastern phylogenetic lineage. This lineage includes individuals recently recorded in other places in the western part of Moscow region. The sequence of the cytochrome b gene of mitochondrial DNA from a tissue sample of a flying squirrel individual found on the territory of the Lake Glubokoe Nature Reserve in July 2013 is identical to that known for animals from the Zvenigorod Biological Station, as well as to those from other places of the western part of Moscow region. The new record is the westernmost one among all other previous records, which confirms the enlarging of the Zvenigorod subrange of this species. Despite the Pteromys volans population in the vicinities of Glubokoe Lake appearing as a consequence of introduction, it is protected by the Red Data Book of Moscow region.

Home, Sweet Nest Box: A Comparison of Detection Methods for the Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys volans) in Ozaukee and Washington Counties, WI

Abstract: The purpose of this field study was to compare detection methods for Glaucomys volans through installation of nest boxes and wildlife cameras in Ozaukee and Washington Counties in Wisconsin, and to determine an optimal setup for using a feeding tray with a wildlife camera. G. volans does not have special conservation status, but requires wooded habitat. The wooded areas do not have to be large parcels of land, as proven by documentation of populations of G. volans in highly urban and fragmented areas. With the rapid onset of habitat change to address agricultural needs, residential or commercial planning, and the continued import of exotic species; forest compositions are changing. An understanding of the most effective detection methods for this species could facilitate the development of more targeted management strategies for Southern flying squirrel populations. G. volans has never been documented in the high-quality, old-growth, beech-maple forest at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Field Station in Saukville, Wisconsin. Ten nest boxes were secured to trees transecting the Field Station forest. The boxes were checked once a month for nesting material, nuts, or G. volans . An additional method used for detection was a wildlife camera trained on a feeding tray, capturing images of nocturnal visitors. A separate wildlife camera was used in Slinger, Wisconsin, where flying squirrels have been documented previously. The information from these cameras was used to compare the time, temperature, food preference, and behavior at the feeding tray between Slinger and the Field Station site in order to discern whether flying squirrels exhibited differential behavior at these sites. At the Field Station, the peak times of activity for the squirrels to visit the feeding tray were between 6 PM - 9 PM and then again from 11 PM – 4 AM. The peak times of activity for the camera in Slinger, Wisconsin were between 5 PM – 7 PM, 9 PM – 10 PM, and 12 AM – 3 AM. At the Field Station, Southern flying squirrels exhibited a preference for sunflower seeds over peanuts and the squirrels were most active in the tray around the edges, rather than in the center. Conclusions about food preference and behavior at the tray could not be drawn from the images taken at the Slinger location due to inability to conclusively identify these behaviors. The wildlife camera proved superior to the nest boxes for detection of flying squirrels. It took 18 days to first detect flying squirrels at the Field Station using cameras, while flying squirrels were never detected at this location in the nest boxes. An increased understanding of the best detection methods for G. volans can lead to the preservation and management of appropriate habitat, leading to continued survivability and sustainability for this species into the future.

Occurrence of the red giant flying squirrel (petaurista petaurista: Sciuridae) in Bangladesh

Abstract: This report confirms the presence of the red giant flying squirrel Petaurista petaurista from the Idgarh Reserve Forest in Cox’s Bazar (North) Forest Division in the southern part of Bangladesh. The chestnut-red dorsal body colour, white ventral surface, large and flesh-coloured nostrils, and gray long tail with blackish tip confirm the observed species as a red giant flying squirrel. Long-term monitoring, habitat protection and its ecology need to be studied for initiating further steps to conserve it in Bangladesh.