Can a Flying Squirrel Really Fly?
We really should call the flying squirrel the “gliding squirrel,” as no mammal except the bat is really capable of flying. The flying squirrel doesn’t have wings, but it does have thin flaps between its front and back legs. When a flying squirrel wants to move from one tree to another, it spreads its legs to open these flaps, th
A flying squirrel has a fold of skin on each side of its body that connects the front and back legs. The animal can’t actually fly, but it can certainly glide through the air. When a flying squirrel stretches out its legs, the folds form wings. The animal can then glide from tree to tree, using its broad, flat tail to guide its flight. The squirrel’s path is at first downward, then straight, and finally upward. It can glide to distances of more than 150 feet. They always finish lower than where they started. A high starting point makes a long glide possible. Flying squirrels are generally eight to 12 inches long although some Asian types can grow to be four feet long. You’ll find them in North America, Asia and Europe.
