Scientists identify two new species of a big, strange flying squirrel
In many ways, these are like the flying squirrels that live in North American forests, just supersized. They have a big patagium, the parachute-like membrane that stretches from ankles to wrists.
“It’s a flying squirrel that lives in a bit of a more barren landscape,” Helgen said. “We think of the flying squirrel as a forest animal, gliding from tree to tree. These may glide more often from cliff top to cave mouth, over to lower ground or to lower slopes.”As for why it needs those unusual teeth, Helgen said, “The going theory is that this animal eats mostly pine needles. That’s a very, very strange thing for an animal to do.
Pine needles are not very nutritious, and they’re full of noxious chemicals the tree puts out expressly to stop animals from eating them. Said Helgen: “The fact that this thing has, over 10 million years, evolved this special capacity to make its living off needles is pretty extraordinary and a pretty cool adaptation on the roof of the world in the middle of nowhere.”Sciuridae“I think it comes down to really fundamental principles about science and nature, including questions like, ‘How rich is life on Earth? How many species do we share this planet with as our home?’” Helgen said.
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