![flying chipmunk flying chipmunk](https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3183/2783469000_cd1162d401_b.jpg)
If you have a cat, you should keep it inside or on a leash. These include native wildlife such as owls, hawks, martens, and weasels, but domestic cats have also added to the problem. Most flying squirrels don't live longer than four years mostly due to their many predators. Instead consider a combination of belly hair at base, species distribution, and forest type to get a reasonably accurate determination of the species. However, this is not feasible for most people. However, this too can vary somewhat.ĭNA analysis is really the only fool-proof method to tell the two species apart. The belly hairs of the Northern flying squirrel are white, but turn slate grey at the base (where they meet the skin), while those of Southern flying squirrels are white to the base. Southern flying squirrels tend to be greyer, but as colour varies this is not a reliable way to distinguish the two species. Although northern flying squirrels are generally larger, it would be easy to mistake a juvenile Northern for an adult Southern. It can be very difficult to distinguish northern flying squirrels from southern flying squirrels. However, a loose fold of skin, which stretches between their front and hind legs, enables them to glide for distances of 20 metres or more. Notes:įlying squirrels, despite their name, are actually incapable of true flight. If you live in a forested area, you can help flying squirrels by building nesting boxes for them. Nesting sites are another important consideration in the protection of flying squirrel habitat. Clear-cutting that creates large open spaces too expansive for gliding across is particularly detrimental.
#Flying chipmunk skin#
Between its front and back legs is a loose flap of skin that the squirrel stretches out like a kite when it. Its soft, silky fur is mostly gray on top and white on the bottom. Threats and/or What You Can Do: Habitat loss (deforestation) is one of the main threats to flying squirrel populations. A chipmunk-sized rodent with large dark eyes, a slightly upturned nose and large ears, all of which make it look a little like a mouse. Therefore it eats nuts, seeds, berries, insects, tree buds and sometimes eggs or nestlings. The northern flying squirrel is an omnivore. Old trees and snags (dead or dying trees) are important nesting sites for flying squirrels. Good tree cover is important to enable gliding between trees. Northern flying squirrels prefer older-growth coniferous forest, while Southern flying squirrels prefer older-growth deciduous forest. This is necessary because, unlike their more commonly seen cousins, these squirrels hide away during the day and become active about an hour after sunset. The large eyes of flying squirrels facilitate effective night vision. The fur on their back is a cinnamon brown and they have white bellies. Northern flying squirrels are about 30 cm in length and have broad flattened tails.