Buzz
Flying squirrels inhabit forests worldwide, yet their elusive nature makes them difficult to study, as they skillfully avoid detection.
When Quan Li from the Kunming Institute of Zoology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences encountered an unusual squirrel specimen in the institute's collection last year, he initially believed it to be a variant of the rare Namdapha flying squirrel, part of the Biswamoyopterus genus. However, further analysis revealed significant differences, leading to the identification of a new species within the same genus, as reported by Smithsonian.com.
The newly identified species, named Biswamoyopterus gaoligongensis (or the Mount Gaoligong flying squirrel, after its discovery region), features bi-colored ear tufts, a dark brown scrotum, a white belly, and a broader, shorter skull compared to its relatives. Weighing between 3 and 4 pounds, it is similar in size to a Chihuahua.
Kadoorie Farm & Botanic GardenQuan Li initially mistook the squirrel for a Namdapha squirrel due to limited knowledge about the latter—only one has ever been sighted, back in 1981. This species is critically endangered, primarily due to hunting and habitat destruction.
To delve deeper into the study of the newly discovered flying squirrel, Quan Li and his team ventured to Mount Gaoligong in Yunnan Province, southwest China, where the original specimen was collected. During their expedition, they secured another specimen and observed two additional individuals in their natural habitat.
The discovery site of the new species lies within a 777-mile stretch between the locations where the Namdapha squirrel was first seen in India in 1981 and where the Laotian giant flying squirrel, another member of the Biswamoyopterus genus, was documented in 2013. This indicates that the genus is far more widespread than previously believed, as Quan Li noted in a statement about the discovery.
Quan Li and his team aim to uncover additional squirrels in the region promptly. Given that these squirrels reside in low-altitude forests close to human communities, they are particularly vulnerable to poaching and habitat degradation.
