Red Giant Flying Squirrel

Description: Varies considerably in colour; its upper parts are mostly dark rufous or greyish-brown to black, except for the tip of its nose, ears, ring around eye and feet, which are black. Its tail is dark bay over the whole length except the tip, which is black. Its underside is greyish-buff to orange-tawny and its ears are blackish.

Distribution: Occurs in southern China, Bhutan, Burma, Thailand, Malay Peninsula, Nepal, Sumatra, Java, Borneo and various offshore islands from elevations ranging from 200–4000 metres. Its habitat in the Malay Peninsula includes primary and secondary forest up to 1000 metres elevation with increased abundance in more disturbed replanted habitat.

In Borneo, it occurs in gardens, plantations, forests and open areas with only a few tall trees. It is known to shelter within large leafy nests made of sticks and vegetable matter. In Taiwan it appears to show a strong preference for hardwood forests, usually living at lower altitudes than the Taiwan Giant Flying Squirrel where their distribution overlaps.

Reproduction: Females are sexually active in May—July and November—January, during which about half the females become pregnant. The female most likely has two young, as in other giant flying squirrels. Weaning occurs from 90–120 days.

Diet: Includes seeds, fruit, leaves and shoots. In Malaysia, it is known to eat the Collared Fig (Ficus crassiramea). In Taiwan, its diet includes the leaves of Mucuna macrocarpa, Machilus japonica, Taiwan Turpinia (Turpina formosana) and Ring-cupped Oak (Quercus glauca); leaves and fruit of Stone Oak (Pasania kawakamii), Debregeasia edulus, Chinese Mulberry (Morus australis) and Japanese Fig (Ficus erecta).

Other food items include leaves and flowers of the Fried Egg Plant (Gordonia axillaris); buds of Taiwan White Pine (Pinus morrisonicola); seeds of Cunninghamia (Cunninghamia konishii) and Taiwan Cypress (Chamaecyparis formosensis). It also eats the flowers of Cream Hibiscus (Hibiscus taiwanensis) and Princess Tree (Paulownia fortunei), the bark of the Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), and the fruit of the Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila).

Another study in Taiwan found them to consume the leaves of Japanese Chinquapin (Castanopsis cuspidata) most often, followed by Strangler Fig (Ficus superba) and Buttonwood (Glochidion acuminatum). In Taiwan this species causes significant damage to forest plantations by debarking, resulting in the death of trees such as Japanese Cedar. As a result there has been a need to control them.

Ecology: A mostly nocturnal species living alone or in small groups, it becomes active shortly before dusk, but occasionally is active during the day, resting on exposed parts of tall trees until mid-morning. It can make continuous glides of about 100 metres. It nests in tree hollows at least 10 metres above the ground, but occasionally in crannies in cliffs.

The nest can be in the fork of a tree or within a tree cavity and is lined with leaves and its own fur. Densities have been recorded of between 0.56 animals per 10 hectares in coniferous plantations and 2.35 animals per hectare in hardwood forests. It is considered a pest in some villages as it feeds on the fruits of plantations.

Status: Least Concern.