Squirrels of the World

Petaurista philippensis 121

species. The dorsal surface of the body is tawny or fer-

ruginous. It has a dull brown spot on the chin and a black

eye ring. The ventral surface is white with a tinge of ru-

fous to pinkish rufous.

Further work is needed on the geographic variation of this
species. Recent morphometric and molecular analyses sug-
gest that P. p. yunanensis and P. p. hainana could be elevated
to species status, and that P. philippensis grandis may instead
be a subspecies of P. petaurista.

conservation: IUCN status—least concern. Population
trend—decreasing.

habitat: This species is found in subtropical hardwood
and conifer forests, but it is reported to prefer the former in
Taiwan. In the Western Ghats (India), P. philippensis consis-
tently forages more often on forest edges and in open forest
patches, and it occurs in both large and small forest frag-
ments. Hence this species appears resilient to forest distur-
bance and fragmentation. However, on the island of Hainan
(China), only larger forest fragments are occupied. In main-

land China it is reported to occupy 5 of 12 zoogeographic

regions.

natural history: P. philippensis is highly folivorous. Leaf

parts, for example, are estimated to account for 74 percent of

this squirrel’s annual diet in Taiwan, where it is estimated

that 30 species of plants are frequently eaten. Fruits and

young leaves are consumed in spring, summer, and autumn

in Taiwan; mature leaves are eaten when other foods are not

available. Elsewhere, leaves form 34–61 percent of the diet.

In the Western Ghats (India), P. philippensis consumed fruit

(fi gs of Ficus racemosa) more than any other diet item (44% of

observations), followed by leaves (34%) and then fl owers,

bark, and lichens. Little is known about the behavior and

population biology of P. philippensis. This nocturnal species

is nea rly exclusively a rborea l, a nd it frequent ly relies on t ree

cavities for nesting. The Indian giant fl ying squirrel breeds

in the spring and the fall. Litter sizes are one to two young,

most commonly just one. The black-crested gibbon (Nomascus

concolor jingdongensis) is repor ted to prey on P. philippensis. In

the Western Ghats (India), playback calls of owl species are

suggested as a potential census method for P. phil ippensis. In

Petaurista philippensis. Photo courtesy Tarique Sani. Petaurista philippensis. Photo courtesy Tarique Sani.