Woolly Flying Squirrel

Current Context: In late 2024, the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department recorded the first photographic evidence of the Woolly Flying Squirrel in Miyar Valley, Lahaul and Spiti district.

• The species was long considered extinct until its rediscovery in 1994.

About

• Scientific Name: Eupetaurus cinereus
• Conservation Status: Endangered – International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List

Features:

• Nocturnal and arboreal
• Gliding enabled by patagium (elastic skin between limbs)

Habitat & Distribution

• Endemic to the Northwestern Himalayas
• Found in dry conifer woodlands, typically at high elevations

Reported from:

• Northern Pakistan (Sai Valley, Gorabad, Balti Gali)
• Northwestern India (now confirmed in Himachal Pradesh)
• Survey Method: Camera traps installed under the Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) initiative