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It's a southern flying squirrel, not northern
Editor, The Recorder,
The picture of the flying squirrel poking its head out of a bluebird box at Ginger Morgan's residence in Head Waters is as cute as can be. They are indeed delightful little critters.
However, the species in the photo is a southern flying squirrel, a relatively common species found throughout Virginia including most high elevation areas.
As part of my research, I've had the fortune of handling hundreds of southern flying squirrels in the Highlands of Virginia. The endangered, very rare species is the northern flying squirrel, a species found only in the White Top Mountain and Mount Rogers area of southwestern Virginia and at a few sites in Highland County.
In Highland County the northern flying squirrel is restricted to the Laurel Fork in the northwest, and the Red Oak Knob and Tamarack Ridge area west of Hightown.
John F. Pagels
Professor,
Department of Biology Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, Va.
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