Petaurista petaurista
Silhouette: CBG Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics (photograph) · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~70% in a week ~90%
The red giant flying squirrel or common giant flying squirrel (Petaurista petaurista) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae (squirrels). It is found in a wide variety of forest–types, plantations and more open habitats with scattered trees in Southeast Asia, ranging north to the Himalayas and southern and central China. One of the largest arboreal squirrels, all populations have at least some reddish-brown above and pale underparts, but otherwise there are significant geographic variations in the colours. The taxonomic position of those in the Sundaic region is generally agreed upon, but there is considerable uncertainty about the others, which variously have been included in this or other species, or recognized as their own species.
Like other flying squirrels, the red giant flying squirrel is mostly nocturnal and able to glide (not actually fly like a bat) long distances between trees by spreading out its patagium, skin between its limbs. It is a herbivore and the female has one, infrequently two, young per litter. Although declining locally due to habitat loss and to a lesser degree hunting, it remains overall common and it is not a threatened species. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sepilok | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 2 | Namdapha National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 3 | Danum Valley Conservation Area | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 4 | Taman Negara National Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Night Safari | 🇸🇬 Singapore |
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Red Giant Flying Squirrel sighting in Danum Valley Conservation Area on a given day, based on 22 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 15th most-seen of the 26 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February–March and July
In those months about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Red Giant Flying Squirrel in Danum Valley Conservation Area on a given day, against under 5% in April–June and December–January, the lowest months.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Red Giant Flying Squirrel sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Red Giant Flying Squirrel sightings, Danum Valley Conservation Area ranks 3rd at about 30%. The best odds are in Sepilok (Malaysia, about 60%) and Namdapha National Park (India, about 40%). All parks ranked.
Same family: Sciuridae
The closest relatives of the Red Giant Flying Squirrel that you can see in Danum Valley Conservation Area (family Sciuridae, Squirrels) are Least Pygmy Squirrel (about 40%), Prevost's Squirrel (about 40%) and Pale Giant Squirrel (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Red Giant Flying Squirrel is recorded against all the mammals logged in Danum Valley Conservation Area (22 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
