Flying squirrel: planning rodent

The flying squirrel is lucky: a gentle, chinchilla-like fur, which it is covered with, is too fragile to give a valuable skin and make its owner an object of fishing. Therefore, the fugitives are still widely distributed both in Europe and in Asia. The distribution area of the common fly is the forest zone. In Siberia, the southern boundary of the range is much lower than in the European part of the country, and coincides with the boundary of the forest-steppe zone. In the north, the distribution of the flying flies is limited to the taiga zone. They can be found everywhere, but flyers prefer to live in forests where the hardwood trees predominate - alder and birch. Birch and alder earrings play an important role in the diet, and their flying foxes are even harvested for the winter.

According to scientific classification, the subfamily of flying squirrels is a member of the protein family, and then, in turn, into a detachment of rodents. The subfamily of flying squirrels includes fifteen genera. The largest representatives are the Taguans living in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. The body length of them is up to sixty centimeters. They were less fortunate than Russian flying squirrels. True, their skins also have no industrial value, but they have a different, gastronomic value. Meat of Taguans is eaten by locals.

Our flying squirrels are much inferior in size. The length of the trunk without a tail is not more than twenty-two centimeters. The flying squirrel differs from its more famous "ordinary" fellow by the presence of leather membranes along the sides of the trunk: between the right front and right hind legs, and from the opposite side.
When there is danger, the protein makes jumps, which, due to the presence of the membranes, have an incredible length - up to sixty meters. This, rather, is not even a jump, but a planning flight.

Due to this feature, the flying squirrel rarely descends to the ground, and in fact there is no need: a house on it on a tree, to move from tree to tree in a forest with such a range of leap - is simpler. Food is also found on the tree. What does the flying squirrel feed on?

She prefers the buds of trees - both deciduous and coniferous, but prefers alder and birch trees. In addition, the flyer menu consists of birch bark, maple and aspen, as well as trees of the family of willow and cedar nuts.

The flying squirrel is not very noticeable in the forest: like a real SWAT, she has a camouflage coat. This diversity is ideal for forest thickets. Sheds the fly in the same way as regular protein, twice a year.

The flying squirrel lives in hollows of trees, and near to human habitation can settle even in nesting boxes. Contrary to popular belief, when flying a tail in a squirrel, the role is played not by the helm, but by the stabilizer, and by "landing" on the stem or branch - also the role of the brake. "Belkin House" can be found from the nearby remains of her meal.

Flying cubs bear five weeks, in one litter two or four blind belchlets are born, which only begin to see in two weeks. However, after that they grow up very quickly. A month later the young flying squirrels deftly jump from tree to tree, mastering the planning flight. And fifty days after birth, they feel old enough and independent in order to leave their father (well, or mother's) house forever. True, they are usually not far from their homes: close relatives often have housing on one tree, although each has its own "apartment" with a separate entrance.

That's what she is-a flying squirrel. The photo of this charming animal in flight is a sample of grace. True, their photographing is difficult due to the fact that the fly is mostly a nocturnal way of life.