Woolly Flying Squirrel:
The wildlife wing of Himachal Pradesh Forest Department (HPFD) recently captured the first-ever photographic evidence of the elusive Woolly Flying Squirrel at Miyar Valley in Lahaul and Spiti district.
- Woolly Flying Squirrel, also known as Western Woolly Flying Squirrel, is one of the rarest and least known mammals in Asia.
- It is endemic to the northwestern Himalayas.
- Scientific Name: Eupetaurus cinereus
- It is the sole species of the genus Eupetaurus.
- It was long believed to be extinct until its rediscovery in 1994 — nearly after seventy years.
- It appears to live in a fragmented habitat within a very limited area in a thin elevational band of dry conifer woodland.
- It is native to northern Pakistan and northwestern India.
- Like other flying squirrels, it has elastic membranes on each side of the body connecting the fore and hind legs.
- Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Endangered
