116 Petaurista nobilisPetaurista nobilis (Gray, 1842)
Bhutan Giant Flying Squirrel
description: This squirrel has upperparts that are bright
chestnut brown with yellow tips to some of the hairs; and
underparts that are pale rufous. It is pale fulvous on the top
of the head, on the shoulders, and in a narrow streak down
the middle of the upper part of the back.
size: Female—HB 427.0 mm; T 522.9 mm.
Male—HB 417.8 mm; T 468.3 mm.
Sex not stated—HB 490.0 mm; T 460.0 mm; Mass 2710.0 g.
distribution: This species’ narrow range extends from
central Nepal through Sikkim (India) to Bhutan.
geographic variation: Two subspecies are recognized.
P. n. nobilis—Nepal and India. See description above.
P. n. singhei—northeastern India and Bhutan. P. n. singhei is
described as possessing thick (“woolly”) orange buff or
brownish buff hair; a dark dorsal saddle with shoulder
patches; a black tipped tail; a yellow, orange or brownish
patagium (“wing”); and a pale or yellowish venter.
conservation: IUCN status—vulnerable. Population
trend—decreasing.
habitat: P. n. singhei is reported at elevations between 1500
and 3000 m in subtropical forests and temperate broadleaf
forests, but it is also expected to occur in mixed broadleaf
and coniferous forests.natural history: Less is known about this species than
others in the genus. Descriptions of specimens and observa-
tions of live individuals of P. n. singhei document this sub-
species in Arunachal Pradesh (northeastern India), 100 km
east of its previously known range. Field observations there
indicate that this species is nocturnal but, unlike most other
fl ying squirrels, it is frequently sighted on the ground, often
seeking mineral licks along newly cleared roads. It is often
active at dawn or dusk. P. nobilis is known by the locals in
northeastern India as khiaw, where it appears to be threat-
ened by habitat loss and hunting.general references: Choudhury 2002; Ghose and Saha
1981; Saha 1977; Thapa et al. 2008.Petaurista petaurista (Pallas, 1766)
Red Giant Flying Squirreldescription: The dorsal color of P. petaurista appears to be
reddish brown, but the hairs are gray at the base. The face
and lower jaw are a darker brown. The ventral surface is
light brown. Although similar in size to P. alborufus, P. petau-
rista is consistently smaller in body mass (85%) and other
body measurements, including tail length. Females tend to
be larger than males. P. petaurista seems to be closely related
to P. philippensis. Some observers consider the subspecies P.Petaurista nobilis. Photo courtesy Umesh Srinivasan.