Indian Giant Flying Squirrel

About this species

Size

About 43cm body, tail 50-52cm

Diet

Mainly fruit, especially Ficus racemosa; also bark, resin, shoots, leaves and insects

The Indian giant flying squirrel, also called the large brown flying squirrel or the common giant flying squirrel, is a large rodent capable of gliding flight using a skin membrane, the patagium, stretched between front and hind legs. It is nocturnal and arboreal and spends most of its life in the canopy. Head and body length is about 43 cm, with a tail of 50 to 52 cm, and nests are made in tree hollows lined with bark, fur, moss and leaves (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is mainly a fruit eater, preferring Ficus racemosa fruit, and also takes bark, tree resin, shoots, leaves, insects and larvae. It is sociable when food is plentiful but aggressive when it is scarce. It is found in mainland Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, and in South Asia.

Description: Wildlife of Vietnam guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)