Mammals · Dermoptera · Cynocephalidae

Philippine Flying Lemur

Cynocephalus volans

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Although commonly called a flying lemur, it is neither a lemur nor able to fly: it glides on a broad membrane of skin running from its neck to the tip of its tail and its toes.

Weight

1 kg – 1.7 kg

Size

33 cm – 38 cm

Lifespan

10 years

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

Easy

RainforestHerbivore Nocturnal Solitary Rainforest Mammal

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Fun facts

It raises its single young much as a marsupial would, folding its skin membrane into a warm pouch to carry it.
It feeds mainly on young leaves, and occasionally on soft fruit, flowers and shoots.
It lives in multi-layered rainforest on several Philippine islands.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Multi-layered rainforest of the Philippine islands of Mindanao, Basilan, Samar, Leyte and Bohol
Birth weight: ~38.5-39 grams
Size at birth: Born very helpless (altricial), clinging to its mother's belly inside a fold of the gliding membrane
Sexual maturity: 2-3 years
Gestation / incubation: 60-105 days depending on the source (usual reference ~105 days)
Litter / clutch size: 1 young (twins rare)
Lifespan in captivity: A documented record of up to 17.5 years in captivity, as a pet

Sources consulted: World Species; JungleDragon; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Alchetron; GBIF; Animal Diversity Web; Animalia.bio; Animal Fact (Colugos); Britannica

Where to find it

See its range on the interactive map

Best time: All year round on Mindanao and other islands of the southern Philippines, at dusk; by day it stays clamped to a trunk, perfectly camouflaged.

Philippines

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