Sunda Flying Lemur with Baby

Description:

The Sunda flying lemur (Galeopterus variegatus), also known as the Malayan flying lemur or Malayan colugo, is a species of colugo. Until recently, it was thought to be one of only two species of flying lemur, the other being the Philippine flying lemur which is found only in the Philippines. The Sunda flying lemur is found throughout Southeast Asia in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. The Sunda flying lemur is not a lemur and does not fly. Instead, it glides as it leaps among trees. It is strictly arboreal, is active at night, and feeds on soft plant parts such as young leaves, shoots, flowers, and fruits. After a 60-day gestation period, a single offspring is carried on the mother's abdomen held by a large skin membrane. It is a forest-dependent species. The head-body length of Sunda flying lemur is about 34 to 38 cm (13 to 15 in). Its tail length is around 24 to 25 cm (9.4 to 9.8 in), and its weight is 0.9 to 1.3 kg (2.0 to 2.9 lb). The Sunda flying lemur is protected by national legislation. In addition to deforestation and loss of habitat, local subsistence hunting poses a serious threat to this animal. Competition with the plantain squirrel (Callosciurus notatus) represents another challenge for this species. More information is needed on population declines, but at present the rate of the decline is believed to be probably not fast enough to trigger listing in any category other than Least Concern.

Habitat:

Tropial forest of South East Asia

Notes:

During my stay at Bako National Park, the staff and guides were saying they have seen at least 4 of this Sunda Flying Lemur in recent days within the vicinity of the Park HQ and accommodation area and 2 of them carrying Baby. The whole morning, all Guides were looking for them to show to their Groups but on that day, they didn't see it during the morning tours. I kept walking the trails during the day and decided to go off trails within the Park HQ area in the afternoon and was very happy to see this Mother carrying her Baby. The Baby was hardly noticeable in the beginning but I stayed with them for a long time and then noticed the Baby peeking out from the pouch from time to time and the Mother grooming the Baby. Special moment to see them :) Pic#2 is a cropped picture to better show the Baby.