Flying squirrels are unique among all species of squirrel. These mammals are fascinating creatures with several interesting attributes. Still, the fact that these squirrels can glide effortlessly through the air leads many people to wonder if these creatures are covered in fur or feathers and what role the covering of the animal has in its ability to glide.
Flying squirrels have fur. These animals do not have feathers or hair. Its fur functions as regular fur, as it keeps the animal warm and protected, but it is also very lightweight, and all grows in one direction to provide the least resistance to effective gliding.
The covering of any animal that glides or flies is critical to the effectiveness of this ability. The same is true for all types of flying squirrels. However, these animals are still a type of squirrel and bear many similar attributes to other squirrels. So, let’s take a closer look at the covering of flying squirrels to understand these wonderful animals better.
Do Flying Squirrels Have Fur, Feathers, Or Hair?
Very few mammals can fly or glide through the air. The flying squirrel is among the few animals in this category and among the most interesting of all. Any animal that flies or glides must be structured to do so, and the covering of the animal is important for this reason.
This is why birds have feathers, and bats have very coarse hair, but what are flying squirrels covered with?
Flying squirrels have fur. These creatures do not have feathers like birds, and they do not have hair like bats, but they are covered in semi-soft fur that keeps them warm in the colder climates where they are found.
The covering of any animal that flies or glides is important because it will affect how the animal moves through the air and how effectively it can navigate factors such as wind and drag.
The fur of a flying squirrel is very lightweight and relatively thin compared to other squirrels. The fur is also very directional, meaning it all points the same way all over the animal’s body.
These features of flying squirrel fur keep the animal as light as possible while still keeping it warm, allowing air to move through the fur easily.
The direction of the fur ensures that it reduces drag as much as possible, preventing any unnecessary wind resistance, which makes gliding more effective.
Does Flying Squirrel Fur Affect Its Gliding?
The fur of a flying squirrel does play a role in how well it glides, as it determines the way the animal is able to move through the air.
However, the fur of these squirrels is not as important to its gliding effectiveness in the same way that a bird’s feathers are critical to its flying.
The fur of a flying squirrel is optimized for gliding, which means that it is lightweight, provides very little wind resistance, and optimizes the way the squirrel glides, all while still serving to protect the animal and keep it at the correct temperature.
The main way that the fur of this animal affects its gliding ability is how lightweight it is. Heavy fur would severely diminish the squirrel’s ability to glide for any distance.
However, the fact that the flying squirrel glides rather than flies, despite its name, means that the fur of this animal is less important than the feathers of birds.
Flying squirrels do not propel themselves through the air, and they do not flap their arms. The fur that this animal has only serves to diminish drag and to keep the squirrel as lightweight as possible. Apart from these attributes, the flying squirrel fulfills the same function as the fur on other squirrels.
Does The Flying Squirrel Patagium Have Fur?
The flying squirrel is equipped with a special membrane that stretches from the wrist to the ankle of the animal, and it acts as a type of wing or a parachute, enabling the animal to glide effectively. This membrane is called the patagium. Does the flying squirrel patagium have fur?
The patagium of the flying squirrel is an incredible adaptation, as it is perfectly shaped to catch wind and air to allow the animal to glide without impeding the general movement of the animal at all while also being very lightweight, flexible, and tough.
This skin-like membrane is the way a flying squirrel glides and has fur on it. The fur on the squirrel’s patagium is no thicker or thinner than the rest of the fur on the animal, which demonstrates how lightweight the fur really is.
The flying squirrel’s patagium is so effective for gliding that the animal can carry objects along with it that may even be larger than the squirrel itself, such as large pinecones. The fur on the patagium helps to increase the drag of the membrane, which increases the gliding force of the squirrel.
The patagium does have fur, and this fur improves the way the squirrel glides.
Do Flying Squirrels Groom Their Fur?
The fur of a flying squirrel is an important feature of the animal. As all fur does, it keeps the squirrel at the correct temperature, enabling the animal to remain at the ideal temperature regardless of the season.
It helps to protect the squirrel from other factors such as rain, dust, and damage.
The fur of the squirrel is vital for its flight as well. This means that the flying squirrel takes good care of its fur.
Flying squirrels groom their fur regularly, using their tongues and paws to remove debris and dirt from the fur while also applying some saliva to it to add to its water-resistant qualities.
Grooming their fur keeps it in optimal condition for gliding, as these squirrels will groom all of their fur in the same direction, which helps to reduce wind resistance in some regions of the body while gliding.
Final Word
Flying squirrels are among the few mammals that can glide, and the fur covering their bodies helps them achieve this gliding effectively.
The fur is lightweight and grows in only one direction, which improves the squirrel’s ability to glide further and more effectively.
Flying squirrels are fascinating creatures, and every aspect of their body aids their ability to glide. The fur these animals have does not act like feathers, but it acts as regular fur, except it is lightweight for gliding.
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Sources
https://study.com/academy/lesson/flying-squirrel-overview-facts.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_squirrel
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/flying-squirrels