The Red Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista petaurista) is nocturnal, so we were very privileged to see one out and about in the late afternoon, when we visited the Rainforest Discovery Centre at Sepilok. They usually emerge from their nest holes after sunset. First you spot a whiskered nose poking out of a hole high above the forest floor, followed by furry head, body and massive tail.
Flying squirrels don’t actually fly; they glide using a membrane of skin that connects their front and back limbs called patagium. By stretching out this membrane as they leap from some of the tallest trees in the tropics, giant flying squirrels can travel well over 150 metres.
