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Pel's flying squirrel - ANOMALURUS PELI
Possibly Endangered
Class: Animals with Milk Glands (Mammalia)
The Name "Squirrel": "Squirrel" comes from the Middle English word
"squyrel," which came from the Greek "skiouros" for the animal.
Notice that the family name for these animals is "Sciuridae," which
may also be the derivation of our word "scurry."
Location: Guinea, Liberia, and the Ivory Coast.
Habitat: Tropical forests
Description: The body is covered with a dense and bristly coat which is black on the back and almost white on the underside. A fold of skin forms a broad membrane and enables this rodent to glide through the air. The membrane joins a cartilaginous protuberance on the front limbs to the hind legs and the base of the tail. All four feet have long sharp claws. On the bottom of the tail, near where it joins the body, there are sharp-edged scales which probably serve to brace the tail against the tree. These squirrels grow up to 18 inches long, and the tail is an additional 14 inches. It weighs just under two pounds.
Behavior: This arboreal rodent moves around trees with surprising agility, clinging with its long claws, and gliding from tree to tree, covering distances of up to 165 feet. It takes refuge in trees, and uses hollows for its lair. It eats berries, seeds, and fruit, which are all found in trees. It is mainly active at night.
Reproduction: There is little information about its reproductive behavior, but the female probably gives birth to 2 or 3 young per litter.
Go to the Rodents Page to learn more about all the gnawing animals.
Or go to the Squirrel Index to study other
squirrels.
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