Lincoln Southern Flying Squirrel Program
Collaborator(s): John Carroll, Lindsey Chizinski, , Larkin Powell, Isabella Villanueva
The range of the southern flying squirrel extends northward to the southeast border of Nebraska, according to records from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. However, periodic reports have been made by residents of Lincoln, and a landscape crew documented a group of four flying squirrels in a hollow tree in December 2021 on UNL's East Campus. (Squirrel image courtesy of Todd Belanger, CCBYNC)
Southern flying squirrels are widespread in the eastern United States, but they are of interest in Nebraska because we are on the edge of their range. In fact, they are so rare here that they are classified in Nebraska as threatened species. New sightings suggests their range is getting larger.
Flying squirrels are small and active at night, so they are difficult to monitor. This is where we need your help!
Support Community Science
Would you like to get involved? Consider sending a donation to the University of Nebraska Foundation's Natural Resource Development Fund. Add a note to your gift to tag it for 'flying squirrel project' and we will use it for materials for students to construct boxes.
You can find more information about southern flying squirrels at the following sites:
Life history information, habitat, diet, and more from Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Information from Iowa Department of Natural Resources, including another design for a nesting box
Information on flying squirrels from the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management
