Taiwan red and white giant flying squirrel
Weighing around 1,500 grams, this is Taiwan’s largest flying squirrel. Its dorsal pelage is dark reddish-brown. The face, palms, and abdomen are white. The distribution of the Taiwan red and white giant flying squirrel is in coniferous and broad-leaved forests at 1,000-3,000 meters above sea level. But, they are more common at medium to high elevations. They rest in tree cavities during the day and are active among the treetops at night, using protruding branches as launchpads to glide through the forest and forage for tender leaves, shoots, and fruits. They also eat small insects. When nursing, the mother takes her pups with her when foraging for food. Otherwise, these flying squirrels are solitary. Due to their delightful appearance, they are often the subject of nocturnal ecological tours in medium-elevation forests.
Text/Chen Yan-Jun, Chen Mu-Xuan
Photo/Huang Xiao-Ting
