Why in the News?

The Himachal Pradesh Forest Department’s wildlife wing has captured the first photographic evidence of the elusive Woolly Flying Squirrel in the Miyar Valley, Lahaul and Spiti district.

About the Woolly Flying Squirrel:

• The Woolly Flying Squirrel, scientifically known as Eupetaurus cinereus, is one of the rarest and least known mammals in Asia.
• It is endemic to the northwestern Himalayas, primarily found in northern Pakistan and northwestern India.
• It prefers to live in dry conifer woodlands within a fragmented habitat in a thin elevational band.
• This species was long believed to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 1994, nearly seventy years after its last recorded sighting.
• It is unique due to its ability to glide, much like other flying squirrels, as it has elastic membranes that connect its fore and hind legs.

Physical features:

• Its body is covered with dense, straight, silky hairs, with the dorsal pelage appearing blue-gray, while the underside is pale gray.
• The squirrel also has creamy white hairs on its throat and ears, and dense black fur on the soles of its feet, with pinkish brown toe pads that are naked.

Conservation Status:

• Listed as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List.
• NOT explicitly mentioned under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Significance of the Rediscovery:

• Its confirmed existence adds to the state’s mammal checklist, offering hope for its continued survival in this remote part of the Himalayas.
• This discovery is important from a scientific perspective, as it marks the first time the elusive species has been documented in India since its rediscovery in 1994.

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