Habitat
In Alaska, inhabits a variety of boreal and coastal forests. Thought to be closely associated with mature and old-growth forests, although specific requirements are unknown (MacDonald and Cook 2009). In Southeast Alaska, upland old-growth and western hemlock found to be the primary habitat (Smith and Nichols 2003). Den sites in natural tree cavities or woodpecker holes (Mowrey and Zasada 1984, Weigl and Osgood 1974). Uses old growth forests for nesting sites (Weigl 1978, Mowrey and Zasada 1984). Optimal conditions have been reported as cool, moist, mature forest with abundant standing and down snags (NatureServe 2007a). Important characteristics include density of large trees, and snags, shrub and canopy cover, prevalence of old- forest features (decayed downed wood, density of large diameter trees) and an abundance of truffles (Smith 2007). Microhabitat use was highly correlated to vaccinium understory cover (Smith et al. 2005). Winter habitat in BC not limited to old-growth (Cotton and Parker 2000).
References
Cotton, C. L., and K. L. Parker. 2000. Winter habitat and nest trees used by northern flying squirrels in subboreal forests. Journal of Mammalogy 81:1071-1086.
MacDonald, S. O. and J. A. Cook. 2009. Recent Mammals of Alaska. University of Alaska Press, Fairbanks, AK.
Mowrey, R.A. and J.C. Zasada. 1984. Den tree use and movements of northern flying squirrels in interior Alaska and implications for forest management. Pp. 351-365. In: Meehan, W.R., T.R. Merrell, Jr. and T.A. Hanley (eds.). Fish and wildlife relationships in old-growth forests. Proceedings of a symposium … held in Juneau, Alaska, 12-15 April 1982. American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists.
NatureServe. 2007a. NatureServe: Animal Data for Download. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available http://www.natureserve.org/getData/animalData.jsp
Smith, W. P. 2007. Ecology of Glaucomys sabrinus: habitat, demography, and community relations. Journal of Mammalogy 88:862-881.
Smith, W.P. and J.V. Nichols. 2003. Demography of the Prince of Wales Flying Squirrel, an endemic of southeastern Alaska temperate rain forest. Journal of Mammalogy 84:1044-1058.
Smith, W. P., J. V. Nichols, and S. M. Gende. 2005. The northern flying squirrel as a management indicator species of north temperate rainforest: test of a hypothesis. Ecological Applications 15(2): 689- 700.
Weigl. P.D. 1978. Resource overlap, interspecific interactions and the distribution of the flying squirrels, GLAUCOMYS VOLANS and G. SABRINUS. Amer. Midl. Naturalist 100(1):83-96.
Weigl, P.D. and D.W. Osgood. 1974. Study of the northern flying squirrel, Glaucomys sabrinus, by temperature telemetry. Amer. Midl. Naturalist 92:482-486.
