One of the 13 squirrels on WAnimals
Mammals · Rodentia · Sciuridae
Namdapha Flying Squirrel
Biswamoyopterus biswasi
It faces an extremely high risk of imminent extinction in the wild. See full glossary
The Namdapha flying squirrel is a nocturnal, arboreal flying squirrel endemic to India, classified as critically endangered because of habitat destruction. It was first collected at Deban on 27 April 1981. There are no estimates of its population, but its habitat is known to be Mesua ferrea forest, generally on hills near the Noa Dihing watershed in north-eastern India.
Weight
1.3 kg – 1.9 kg
Size
40 cm – 42 cm
Diet
Herbivore
Feeds mainly on plants.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Very hard
Fun facts
- The entire species is known from a single specimen collected in 1981: it is one of the few mammals in the world of which only one specimen exists and of which there is no photographic record at all.
- It is among the species targeted by lost-mammal expeditions, alongside others that have gone decades without a confirmed record and that may already be extinct.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
- Habitat & environment
- Tropical rainforest of the Namdapha reserve, in Arunachal Pradesh, north-eastern India
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biswamoyopterus_biswasi
Where to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Namdapha Flying Squirrel — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Near ThreatenedBlack Giant Squirrel
Ratufa bicolor
Pallas's Squirrel
Callosciurus erythraeus
EndangeredBengal Tiger
Panthera tigris tigris
VulnerableLeopard
Panthera pardus
VulnerableSun Bear
Helarctos malayanus
EndangeredRed Panda
Ailurus fulgens
How to help
The namdapha flying squirrel is classified as critically endangered. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 1 real protected area — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about namdapha flying squirrel.
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