Logo: Gliding mammals of the world

The world’s gliding mammals are an extraordinary group of animals that have the ability to glide from tree to tree with seemingly effortless grace. There are more than 60 species of gliding mammals including the flying squirrels from Europe and North America, the scaly-tailed flying squirrels from central Africa and the gliding possums of Australia and New Guinea.

Thomas’s Flying Squirrel

Thomas’s Flying Squirrel / Aeromys thomasi
Aeromys thomasi

Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae, Pteromyini

Description: A large species, it is uniformly coloured a rich reddish-brown all over, without black tips to its fur. It can be distinguished from the Red Giant Flying Squirrel in Borneo, which has black on the face, tip of the tail and feet. The tail of this species is thin with rather flattened hairs.

Distribution: Where this species occurs on Borneo it is known from the lower slopes of Gunung Kinabalu (up to 1600 metres), Sandakan and Tawau in Sabah, Sungai Baram in Sarawak, Gunung Liang Kubung in West Kalimantan, and Sungai Kayan in East Kalimantan.

There are records over the lowlands and foothills of most of Borneo. Throughout its distribution it occurs in tall and secondary forests.

Reproduction: Nothing is known.

Diet: Includes fruits.

Ecology: Almost nothing is known.

Status: Data Deficient.

Thomas’s Flying Squirrel / Aeromys thomasi
Thomas’s Flying Squirrel
Aeromys thomasi
Distribution: Thomas’s Flying Squirrel
HB350–403 mm
TL340–430 mm
HF60–70 mm
M1380–1490 g

Other species:


North Chinese Flying Squirrel / Aeretes melanopterus
North Chinese Flying Squirrel

Aeretes melanopterus

Black Flying Squirrel / Aeromys tephromelas
Black Flying Squirrel

Aeromys tephromelas

Namdapha Flying Squirrel / Biswamoyopterus biswasi
Namdapha Flying Squirrel

Biswamoyopterus biswasi

Random species

Kashmir Flying Squirrel / Eoglaucomys fimbriatus

Kashmir Flying Squirrel
Eoglaucomys fimbriatus

Palawan Flying Squirrel / Hylopetes nigripes

Palawan Flying Squirrel
Hylopetes nigripes

Basilan Flying Squirrel / Petinomys crinitus

Basilan Flying Squirrel
Petinomys crinitus


Gliding Mammals of the World provides, for the first time, a synthesis of all that is known about the biology of these intriguing mammals. It includes a brief description of each species, together with a distribution map and a beautiful full-color painting.

An introduction outlines the origins and biogeography of each group of gliding mammals and examines the incredible adaptations that allow them to launch themselves and glide from tree to tree.