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.

Temminck’s Flying Squirrel

Temminck’s Flying Squirrel / Petinomys setosus
Petinomys setosus

Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae, Pteromyini

Description: The fur of its upper parts is dark brown or black with pale buff tips; its underparts are creamy white with grey under-fur. The gliding membrane is blackish above and sparsely covered with buff hairs below. Its tail is dark brownish-grey with whitish hairs at the base.

Its cheeks are greyish or white and there are often white marks behind its ears which form a partial collar. Its feet are brownish. There is a black ring around the eye, and a black line running from the eye-ring to the nose.

Distribution: Occurs in northern Burma and northern Thailand with another population on the Malay Peninsula. Also found on Sumatra and on Borneo in Brunei, Sabah and Sarawak. Inhabits primary forest and partially cut primary forest with some records near fruit and rubber plantations. Other specimens have been found in dry deciduous, tropical or monsoonal forests and wet tropical rainforests.

Reproduction: Limited information suggests that the female produces one to two young at a time.

Diet: Includes seeds and fruit.

Ecology: One record of the species on the Malay Peninsula described a nest hole, 19 millimetres in width, in a tree trunk at 50 centimetres above the ground.

Status: Vulnerable.

Temminck’s Flying Squirrel / Petinomys setosus
Temminck’s Flying Squirrel
Petinomys setosus
Distribution: Temminck’s Flying Squirrel
HB92–128 mm
TL85–118 mm
HF21–25 mm
M26–58 g

Other species:


Siberut Flying Squirrel / Petinomys lugens
Siberut Flying Squirrel

Petinomys lugens

Mindanao Flying Squirrel / Petinomys mindanensis
Mindanao Flying Squirrel

Petinomys mindanensis

Vordermann’s Flying Squirrel / Petinomys vordermanni
Vordermann’s Flying Squirrel

Petinomys vordermanni

Japanese Flying Squirrel / Pteromys momonga
Japanese Flying Squirrel

Pteromys momonga

Random species

Northern Glider / Petaurus abidi

Northern Glider
Petaurus abidi

Southern Flying Squirrel / Glaucomys volans

Southern Flying Squirrel
Glaucomys volans

Mindanao Flying Squirrel / Petinomys mindanensis

Mindanao Flying Squirrel
Petinomys mindanensis


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.