13 Interesting Facts About Flying Squirrels

5. 90% of All Flying Squirrel Species Exist Only in Asia

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Found on three continents, flying squirrels are a varied group of animals with quite unequal distribution. Of the forty-three known flying squirrel species, an incredible forty are native to Asia, meaning they are naturally found nowhere else on Earth. This great degree of endemism emphasises how important Asian forests are as essential habitats for these unusual species. According to research, flying squirrels and their cousins have lived in areas of Asia for over 160 million years, back to the period of dinosaurs. Their long evolutionary background has helped them to fit different ecological niches in the several forest habitats of the continent. Flying squirrel evolution and survival have been much aided by Asia's deep woods. A 2013 study claims that these rich environments have functioned as both a centre for diversity and a haven. When many species threatened extinction during glacial times, Asian woodlands gave flying squirrels a refuge so they can survive and develop. These environments have gone through cycles of fragmentation and reconnection over time, which can cause new species to arise. Rich diversity of flying squirrel species we know now results from populations gradually adapting to their own habitats as they grew isolated in different forest sections. Though Asian forests have always been important for sustaining flying squirrel populations, many of these essential ecosystems are today seriously threatened. Driven by logging, farming, and urbanisation, large-scale deforestation presents major obstacles to flying squirrel survival. Furthermore aggravating these hazards is human-induced climate change, which is causing habitat loss and changing the fragile ecosystems flying squirrels depend on. Concerns regarding their future arise from the fast speed of these changes being significantly more accelerated than the natural oscillations ancient flying squirrels encountered. Closely related to the fate of Asian forests, the writers of the above stated study projected a dismal future for flying squirrels. Flying squirrel survival is under jeopardy as deforestation goes on and the effects of climate change get more evident. Flying squirrels and the many other species that call their forest home depend on conservation initiatives meant to save and restore these vital habitats. Increasing awareness of the need of protecting Asian forests will help us to create a future in which flying squirrels and their habitats may flourish, therefore promoting the general biodiversity of our world.