This cute and pretty squirrel species lives in Japan and Europe, from the Baltic Sea to the coast of the Pacific Ocean. This species is an Old World flying squirrel. This is an interesting squirrel: it doesn’t hibernate, but it does sleep for several days in a row during the winter.
This flying squirrel grows to be 20 cm (8 in) long. This squirrel hides in a hole during the day, usually in a coniferous tree. At night, it comes out to eat buds, leaves, bark, fruits, and seeds.
Even though they’re called “flying squirrels,” they don’t really fly. The furry membrane, called patagium, between their front and back legs helps them glide. This is something these cute squirrels often do to get away from predators or to get to another tree. They can glide up to 100 meters.
