The Southern Flying Squirrel in Arkansas: Friend or foe?
An adorable critter to some and a terrible nuisance to others, the Southern Flying Squirrel is good at getting people talking.
According to a report by Kirsten Bartlow with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC), the Southern Flying Squirrel, aka "Arkansas's most secretive squirrel," isn't getting enough attention.
Here's everything you need to know (and some things you don't) about the South's favorite chirping, nocturnal, big-eyed, nut-eating, flying rodent.
Habits
Despite their name, flying squirrels do more gliding than anything— they use special muscles that spread from their wrists to their ankles to glide between trees and avoid predators.
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) explains that when flying squirrels want to get somewhere in style, they leap forward, spread out their arms and legs, and use slight movements from their legs and tails to steer through the air.
If their home is in danger, Mother squirrels are known to "airlift" their babies, called kits, to safety by grabbing them by the belly and flying them away one by one, Bartlow explained.
Homes
The Southern Flying Squirrel generally prefers to make its home in dense woods that are close to streams, rivers, or lakes— ideally inside trees, according to the AGFC.
Furthermore, Bartlow said the squirrels can get a lot more sociable when the temperatures drop, with even "a dozen or more" piling into one home.
The flying squirrel's habit of taking up residence in birdhouses and attics has led many Southerners to label them as enemies, but have you seen rent prices these days?
According to the AGFC regulations, it is legal to keep squirrels as pets, with a maximum of six native animals per household; for example, you may only keep three squirrels if—for some reason—you also have a rabbit, opossum, and raccoon.
Health
In between attacks by hawks, owls, and other big hungry birds, the Southern Flying Squirrel enjoys a diet of fruits, nuts, bugs, and whatever people put in bird feeders.
According to the NWF, although two subspecies of flying squirrels are endangered due to habitat loss, there is a sustainable number of Southern Flying Squirrels across America. In fact, due to the flying squirrel's nocturnal nature, many people don't realize just how many of these critters there are.
Whether you keep them as pets, friends, roommates, or mortal enemies, we have to admit the Southern Flying Squirrel flew its way into a special spot in our hearts, minds, and garbage cans.
For more information about Arkansas wildlife, check out the AGFC website here.
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