Southern Flying Squirrel

Imagine a squirrel that can leap from a tall tree and glide through the air! That's the southern flying squirrel. It's not really flying, but it has special skin flaps between its arms and legs that act like a parachute.

When it jumps, it spreads these flaps out and swoops down to another tree. It's like having a built-in cape for gliding! These little critters are super cute and love to scamper around in the forests.

These amazing gliders make their homes in forests all over the eastern part of North America. You can find them from Canada all the way down to Florida. They like forests with lots of trees, especially ones with yummy nuts and seeds. Sometimes, you can even find them in parts of Mexico and Central America! They are very good at hiding, so you might not see them easily.

Southern flying squirrels are super picky eaters, but they love a variety of snacks! They are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals. Their favorite foods include nuts, seeds, fruits, and berries. But they also munch on insects, bird eggs, and even small baby birds if they can find them! They are very busy foragers, always looking for their next tasty meal in the trees.

These squirrels are quite small, about the size of a small hamster or a large mouse. They have big, dark eyes that help them see at night because they are most active when the sun goes down. They also have a long, flat tail that helps them steer while they glide. They are so light, they weigh less than a can of soup! They are a special part of the forest ecosystem.