Hodgson's Giant Flying Squirrel

About the Hodgson's Giant Flying Squirrel

Hodgson's giant flying squirrel (Petaurista magnificus) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. This large flying squirrel lives in Himalayan forests in Asia. Like other flying squirrels, it is nocturnal and able to glide (not actually fly like a bat) long distances between trees by spreading out its patagium, skin between its limbs.

The Hodgson's giant flying squirrel is native to the Himalayan region where found in Nepal, Bhutan, southern Xizang (Tibet) in China, and the Indian states of Sikkim, far northern West Bengal and much of Arunachal Pradesh. Although also reported from Bangladesh, Myanmar (Burma), and the Indian states of Assam and Meghalaya, its presence south and east of the Indian part of the Brahmaputra (Siang) River is questionable and likely the result of misidentifications of other species of giant flying squirrels. A taxonomic review of all flying squirrels did not include Bangladesh, Myanmar, Assam or Meghalaya as part of the range of the Hodgson's giant flying squirrel, a checklist and distribution review of mammals of India did not include Assam or Meghalaya as part of its range, and a guide to the mammals of Mainland Southeast... Wikipedia →