Recent study highlights severe impact of climate change on giant flying squirrels

UNCOVERS ALARMING LEVELS OF HABITAT LOSS

- SOUMITRA NANDI

KOLKATA: Two recent scientific collaborative research involving three Indian institutes and one foreign have highlighted the severe impact of climate change and human activities on the habitats of giant flying squirrels in South and Southeast Asia.

Conducted by researchers from the department of Zoology (Bodoland University, Assam), Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) (Kolkata), Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) Kolkata and Pukyong National University in South Korea, the studies examined four lesser-known flying squirrel species namely Petaurista magnificus, Petaurista nobilis, Petaurista elegans and Hylopetes phayrei and uncovered alarming levels of habitat loss and fragmentation throughout their natural ranges.

These squirrels are vital to forest health as they help with pollination and seed dispersal and serve as indicators of ecosystem balance.