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.

Lesser Pygmy Flying Squirrel

Lesser Pygmy Flying Squirrel / Petaurillus emiliae
Petaurillus emiliae

Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae, Pteromyini

Description: A very small gliding squirrel, similar to Hose’s Pygmy Flying Squirrel, but even smaller. Its cheeks are entirely pale buffish without grey below its eyes.

Its colouration is very like that of Hose’s Pygmy Flying Squirrel but its fur is paler rufous on the back, with the tips of the hairs near vinaceous-cinnamon, and its belly is pure white. Its cheeks are a pale buff colour and there is no perceptible darker line below the eye.

Distribution: Known only from the type locality in the Baram District, eastern Sarawak on Borneo, where an adult male and female were collected in 1901 by the colonial administrator, zoologist and ethnologist Dr Charles Hose.

Reproduction: Nothing is known.

Diet: Nothing is known.

Ecology: Nothing is known.

Status: Least Concern.

Lesser Pygmy Flying Squirrel / Petaurillus emiliae
Lesser Pygmy Flying Squirrel
Petaurillus emiliae
Distribution: Lesser Pygmy Flying Squirrel
HBc. 68–72 mm
TLc. 62–67 mm
HFc. 16–17 mm
Mc.13.5 g

Other species:


Javanese Flying Squirrel / Iomys horsfieldi
Javanese Flying Squirrel

Iomys horsfieldi

Flying Squirrel / Iomys sipora Mentawai
Flying Squirrel

Iomys sipora Mentawai

Selangor Pygmy Flying Squirrel / Petaurillus kinlochii
Selangor Pygmy Flying Squirrel

Petaurillus kinlochii

Random species

Feathertail Glider / Acrobates pygmaeus

Feathertail Glider
Acrobates pygmaeus

Flying Squirrel / Iomys sipora Mentawai

Flying Squirrel
Iomys sipora Mentawai

Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel / Petaurista leucogenys

Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel
Petaurista leucogenys

Smoky Flying Squirrel / Pteromyscus pulverulentus

Smoky Flying Squirrel
Pteromyscus pulverulentus


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.