In News:

The Wildlife Wing of the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department (HPFD) has recently documented the first-ever photographic evidence of the Woolly Flying Squirrel in Miyar Valley, located in the Lahaul and Spiti district. This marks a significant discovery, as the species is extremely elusive and rarely sighted.

About Woolly Flying Squirrel

• Common Name: Woolly Flying Squirrel / Western Woolly Flying Squirrel
• Scientific Name: Eupetaurus cinereus
• Taxonomy: The only known species under the genus Eupetaurus
• Conservation Status: Listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List

Habitat and Distribution

• Endemism: Confined to the northwestern Himalayas
• Countries Found: Northern Pakistan and northwestern India
• Habitat Type: Inhabits a narrow elevational range within dry coniferous forests, typically in fragmented habitats
• Historical Records:
  • Rediscovered in 1994, nearly 70 years after it was presumed extinct
  • Since then, reported from Sai Valley, Gorabad, and Balti Gali in northern Pakistan

Key Characteristics

• Equipped with patagium (elastic skin membrane) that connects the forelimbs and hind limbs, enabling gliding—typical of flying squirrels
• Fur: Dense, straight, and silky
  • Dorsal side: Blue-gray
  • Ventral side: Pale gray
  • Throat and ears: Covered in creamy white hairs
  • Feet soles: Dense black fur, except for bare pinkish-brown toe pads