The Amazing San Bernardino Flying Squirrel
BY NOLAN
The San Bernardino flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) is one of the coolest creatures that lives in the high-elevation conifer forests. These forests are full of tall trees and lots of moisture, making them the perfect place for the flying squirrel to live. Even though it's called a flying squirrel, it doesn’t actually fly. It glides through the air. (Center of biological diversity)
Food
The San Bernardino flying squirrel loves eating truffles. Not chocolate truffles, but underground fungi that grow in cool, moist forests. The squirrel digs around fallen logs and smells the truffles, remembering where to find them next time. It also eats other stuff like lichens, conifer seeds, and insects like crickets, cicadas, and moths. (Center of biological diversity)
Ecosystem Heroes and tree savers
This squirrel is pretty small, but it plays a big role in the forest. It helps trees by spreading truffle spores. This helps trees absorb the nutrients and water they need to stay healthy. The squirrels live in trees too, where they’re safe from predators. (Center of biological diversity)
predators
Even though they're pretty fast, the flying squirrel has to watch out for some dangerous animals. Predators like owls, hawks, foxes, raccoons, weasels, bobcats, and even house cats. So, it needs to stay on its alert to avoid becoming lunch. (Center of biological diversity)
Life cycle
Flying squirrels breed once a year, usually in the spring or summer.The female has 2–3 babies, called kits. They are born without fur and with their eyes and ears closed. The mother takes care of them until they are big enough to leave the nest, usually around two months old. They still stay close to their mom for a while though. Squirrels don't live that long so by the time they're 18 months old, they're adults. These little Squirrels live up to four years in the wild but can live up to 10 years in captivity.(Center of biological diversity)
The Amazing Glide
One of the coolest parts about the San Bernardino flying squirrel is its glide. This squirrel can glide from one tree to another, sometimes up to 300 feet! Because it has a special membrane of skin stretched between its arms and legs, kind of like a flying squirrel suit. It usually glides down at a 30–40 degree angle and even changes direction by moving its tail. They even reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour. So they get moving, even though they're just gliding.(Center of biological diversity)
Humans and the Flying Squirrel
Unfortunately, humans are making life harder for the flying squirrel. Climate change is destroying the truffles that the trees need and the squirrels eat. They need cool, wet conditions to grow, but climate change is making the forests hotter and drier. Urban Development is also pushing the squirrels out of their mountain homes, and wildfires have burned large areas of their habitat. And when people cut down trees or remove downed logs, it makes it harder for the squirrels to find a good place to live. (Center of biological diversity)
What We Can Do
It’s important that we take care of the places where these squirrels live. Without trees and the right weather conditions, the squirrels can’t survive. We can help by protecting forests and keeping their homes safe from wildfires and urban development. We also need to stop climate change, but that is already too far gone. (Center of biological diversity)
So if you see a tree in this area, think about the little squirrel zooming around in the canopy, gliding through the air, eating truffles, and keeping the trees healthy. Those little squirrels are pretty cool, don't you think?
Works Cited
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (provides a lot of facts on the squirrel's habitat, behavior, and diet).
Center of biological diversity (provides information on biome, diet,role in the ecosystem, life cycle, human effects on them, flight, adaptations
