Red Giant Flying Squirrel
Petaurista petaurista
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderRodentia (Rosegadors)
- FamilySciuridae (Squirrels)
- GenusPetaurista (Giant Flying Squirrels)
- SpeciesPetaurista petaurista (Red Giant Flying Squirrel)
The red giant flying squirrel or common giant flying squirrel (Petaurista petaurista) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae (squirrels). It is found in a wide variety of forest–types, plantations and more open habitats with scattered trees in Southeast Asia, ranging north to the Himalayas and southern and central China. One of the largest arboreal squirrels, all populations have at least some reddish-brown above and pale underparts, but otherwise there are significant geographic variations in the colours. The taxonomic position of those in the Sundaic region is generally agreed upon, but there is considerable uncertainty about the others, which variously have been included in this or other species, or recognized as their own species. Like other flying squirrels, the red giant flying squirrel is mostly nocturnal and able to glide (not actually fly like a bat) long distances between trees by spreading out its patagium, skin between its limbs. It is a herbivore and the female has one, infrequently two, young per litter. Wikipedia →
20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Red Giant Flying Squirrel sighting in Danum Valley Conservation Area, based on 12 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Danum Valley Conservation Area
Least Pygmy Squirrel
Exilisciurus exilis
Prevost's Squirrel
Callosciurus prevostii
Pale Giant Squirrel
Ratufa affinis
Thomas's Flying Squirrel
Aeromys thomasi
Black Flying Squirrel
Aeromys tephromelas
Plantain Squirrel
Callosciurus notatus
Malayan Porcupine
Hystrix brachyura
Bornean Pithecheirops
Pithecheirops otion
Indomalayan Maxomys
Maxomys surifer
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Namdapha National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Danum Valley Conservation Area | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 3 | Way Kambas National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 4 | Khao Luang National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 5 | Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇲🇾 Malaysia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Red Giant Flying Squirrel in Danum Valley Conservation Area?
About 22% of wildlife watchers report a Red Giant Flying Squirrel sighting in Danum Valley Conservation Area, based on 12 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Red Giant Flying Squirrel in Danum Valley Conservation Area?
March has the highest sighting rate for Red Giant Flying Squirrel in Danum Valley Conservation Area in our monthly data.