A baby flying squirrel at Falls of Schuylkill Library melts hearts on local social media.
Good luck, little guy!
(Original post to EF Rants Page, Sept 11 4:48 PM)
Liz RondePierre Is anybody missing a sugar glider??
ETA: Not a sugar glider but definitely a cutie!
Gary G. Where did you find him/her
Liz R. He was in the library and now he’s in my car ?
Jess M. OMG. If he can’t find a home, I know someone that could care for him.
Liz R. Soooo apparently it’s actually a southern flying squirrel and I can’t get in touch with wildlife rescue at the moment ?♀️ He’s safe with us until we can get him a better home but it sounds like he will need to be released into the wild at some point because they are an endangered species. So ya know, just another routine visit to the library ?
Jess M. Hes so cute! My friend rehabs wild life, but I would assume he needs to be transported down south?
Liz R. Nope! According to my research ? there are two types of flying squirrels native to PA- the northern and the southern. This guy is a southern. I can’t seem to find what parts of PA they’re usually found, so I don’t know for sure that this guy was totally lost, but he was found inside the library. I could put him back near the library but I’m hesitant to do that if I don’t know for sure that he belongs here. Hoping to get some more info from the wildlife Center but they seem to be closed for the evening. He is ADORABLE! Do you think your friend might have any knowledge on this guy?
Amy C. These EF squirrels sure are trying to win us over. The baby squirrel in my backyard last week, had me at a 99.9 % forgiveness meter for destroying the pumpkins in 2015. This little adorable munchkin may put me at 100%.
Johnpaul G. We do have flying squirrels around West and Northwest Philly. Is it injured, or did it just get inside?
Liz R. It’s not injured. I really want to put it back near the library but I’m worried since it’s a baby and it was by itself. Still trying to get in touch with the wildlife center.
Kim B. I live on Warden Dr and I’m pretty sure my dog chased one of these out of our yard yesterday after 6:00 pm so it seems there are a few around.
Johnpaul G. They’re definitely around. I think they’re nocturnal, and definitely smaller than grey squirrels, so you don’t see them as often as their cousins. A lot of people don’t even realize they exist here.
Kim B. A wildlife specialist told us several years ago that’s probably what we have living in our walls. Yesterday was the first time I actually saw one though!
Liz R. They are super small and this guy is about halfway to full size. I’m hoping they can just tell me to put him right back ? It made me nervous that he was inside alone. And from what I read they’re not known to be native to this area exactly, but he got the somehow!
Johnpaul G. My friend works in the Wissahickon as part of the educational stuff, and he told me they are all over around here. I only see the one grey squirrel that steals my tomatoes and occasionally finds a slice of pizza.
Nancy P. Yes they are around the area. I had one in my house years ago. They are hard to catch when they start flying. A friend who lives in the suburbs just posted two days ago of having one in her house so it seems common.
Liz R. The person I spoke with at Metro Wildlife Center was not all that concerned about him – he agreed they are all over this area, just rare to find one unless they happen to have gotten into your home… or library.
This little guy is young, but not a tiny helpless baby – he’s eating solid food, at least. Unfortunately, the Metro rep feels it’s a gamble whether his mom will find him, or that he’ll survive on his own through the winter. Still, Metro recommends releasing him as his best chance for a normal life.
So we took this terribly cute little sleepyhead to a safe place in the wooded area near the library. Really hopeful that he’ll be able to find his way to what he needs, and his family if possible ??? Thanks so much to Drew at the library for initially capturing this little guy and being so incredibly helpful!!
Small, arboreal rodent with large eyes and a wide, flattened, heavily-furred tail. They don’t actually fly but rather glide thru the air using skin-folds between their hind and fore-legs.
Noctournal omnivores. Their primary diet consists of fruit, nuts, bird eggs, young mice, moths, beetles, berries, carrion, and seeds. Their preferred habitat is woodland – oaks, maple beech, hickory, poplar and other seed-producing hardwoods, plus conifers. Range includes almost all of Eastern North America, from the Atlantic to the Mississippi, up thru Canada and down to the Gulf of Mexico and even throughout Central America.
FUN FACT: These aerial acrobats can clear up to 50 meters at a time, including 90 turns!
FUN FACT #2: All three species of North America’s flying squirrels glow brilliant, bubble-gum pink under ultraviolet light! They’re one of only a few mammals known to fluoresce.
Philadelphia Metro Wildlife Center
Fully licensed wildlife rehab team with a combined 31 years of experience, supported by 60+ trained, dedicated volunteers. 400 E. DeKalb Pike, King of Prussia 267-416- 9453
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