Efforts to save the Flying Squirrel

On 18th November this year, Minister of the Environment, Marko Pomerants, sent a regulation on amendment of borders and protection procedures of 13 existing Flying Squirrel protection sites to other ministries to be approved. 25 new protection sites will be established with the same regulation.

Siberian Flying Squirrel is one of the most endangered mammals in Estonia. This, mainly nocturnal mammal is found in Europe only from Estonia, Finland and Russia (and possibly may occur in Belarus). They are highly dependent on availability of old-growth natural forests where there are enough old aspen trees to provide suitable nesting holes for breeding and hiding.

See the video of Flying Squirrel>

The first Flying Squirrel protection sites were established in 2006. To our knowledge the Flying Squirrel is currently found only in some old growth forests of the Virumaa County, although it was previously found in other forested areas of Estonia. The most critical risk factors influencing preservation of the Flying Squirrel population, are isolation and destruction of critical habitats, but also the small number of animals in sub-populations. Other factors endangering the species are predation, felling of nesting trees, disturbance and climate change. According to scientists' the Flying Squirrel's populations may be considered stable if, out of a known 250 sites, at least 150 of them are inhabited during that year. Due mainly to intensive forest management during last decade, the Siberian Flying Squirrel population has undergone a huge decline. According to monitoring data from 2016 there are only 45 known inhabited sites now left!  The most pessimistic predictions suggest the Flying Squirrel will become extinct in Estonia within 5 years.

More bad news for the Flying Squirrel was disclosed early in the spring when our government announced the plan to start using timber in Virumaa county power stations to produce electric energy.  As the key areas for the Flying Squirrel are located in the same county, this plan would increase tree cutting pressure even more in suitable habitats and crossing corridors, than less valuable forests.

Therefore an environmental NGO “MTÜ Noored Rohelised” launched a petition to collect signatures for protection of Flying Squirrel habitats and Estonian forests. With this public campaign, over 2000 signatures were collected and passed to the Estonian Parliament.

As a positive result, Minister of the Environment approved in February a new species action plan for the Flying Squirrel and launched a regulation in May to establish new species protection areas for this mammal. According to this regulation, 25 new species protection sites are planned to be established and areas of 13 previous sites will be increased. The most important outcome of this regulation will consider the need to protect green corridors between suitable habitats to ensure that Flying Squirrels can spread. This is a very important protection action to save the Siberian Flying Squirrel in Estonia because otherwise small populations become isolated and can become inbred.

In July the representatives of the Ministry of the Environment and the Environmental Board met with land-owners, local municipalities and other stakeholders. During the hearings the process of establishing new species protection sites was introduced and possibilities of compensation for conservation restrictions were discussed.

A meeting of private forest landowners in Alutaguse.
Ecologist Uudo Timm - longtime Flying Squirrel reseacher
gives a talk about squirrels.

BBC Wildlife: Estonian ecologist Uudo Timm is telling us the story how he fell in love with Siberian flying squirrels. Read an article published in March 2016 issue >

In the beginning of November problems concerning valuation of land and the future of land acquisition were under discussion.  Then on 18th November, the Minister of the Environment, Marko Pomerants, sent a regulation on amendment of borders and protection procedures of 13 existing Flying Squirrel protection sites to other ministries to be approved. 25 new protection sites will be established with the same regulation. The area of the species protection sites to be authorized, will be 56,547 ha, that will be almost equally divided into special management zones and limited management zones. About 75% of the territory is under state ownership, among the private land-owners there are 68 private persons and 23 enterprises. During the preparation of regulation all known sites were checked and the substance of taking or keeping these areas under protection was analyzed, also meetings with each and every land-owner and other involved persons were conducted.

Estonian Nature Tours is pleased to have been involved in the process of rescuing a Flying Squirrel. WE BELIEVE IN BETTER FUTURE! Thinking about this stunning animal and Estonian forests we would like to share a video with you >

Henry Laks and Marten Kuningas - Flying Squirrel
Lyrics and music by Henry Laks
Composition by Marten Kuningas 

NB! Because Flying Squirrels are endangered you may only visit their territories to observe them with a local expert.  If you are keen to see (or photograph) this stunning animal then contact us to book a suitable period or a place on our Mammals and Birds in Spring 2018 tour >  

Take action to save the endangered Flying Squirrel

Flying squirrel - a mysterious and hidden taiga forest dweller - is still one of Estonia's nature tourism magnets. In favourable circumstances it is still possible to be in the right time in the right place and have a glimpse of this tiny and zippy creature. No need to add, that a knowledgeable zooloogist is a must to guide the event. Moreover - because of being endangered, observation and being close to Flying Squirrels' nesting sites is only allowed together with a local expert. To understand the life of a Flying Squirrel each and every group is taken to the forest stand some hours before the outflight takes place. The guide will explain the situation, show the group around the habitat and point out the distinctive features, how to monitor the animals. Only then, a tad before darkness everyone has to be under the right tree with the binoculars or camera lenses directed towards the nest opening. Luckily the guide has the detector, which gives alert when the collared animal starts moving.

Zooloogist Uudo Timm pinpointing with detector 
Flying Squirrels, Iisaku 2014

Now, what are the preconditions of the species? The female needs a territory at least 8 hectares. For nesting there have to be old hollow aspens, surrounded and screened by spruce trees. Males are usually active in several females' territories, all together on about 100 hectares. Throughout this radius of 1 km there must be old mixed forest stands to ensure food and safety. Young animals usually move away from their homes up to 2 km. All this means, that the stand must be much bigger, than merely these 100 hectares, otherwise in the isolated conditions the population doesn't function normally.

Droppings of Flying Squirrel, Iisaku 2014

Flying squirrel's distribution area is constantly decreasing. The species has definitely been much more common, than it is today. Distribution data, available from the 1930ies show 3 large and 3 medium or small distribution areas all over Estonia. South-Estonian localities were extinct by 1995. In 2005 there were still some evidence from SW and NW Estonia, but the data from 2014 reveal only the North-Eastern population. Regardless of still remarkable area on the map, we may speak only about 110 registered sites and maximum 2 sq km of suitable forest stands. Sadly not all of these sites are constantly populated.

Click on the diagram to zoom...

The main, if not the only reason of this decrease is forest cutting, which is intruding into the reign of these harmless creatures and consequently one side has to beat a retreat, even without any serious conflict. It is not enough to spare only the nesting tree. The whole old forest complex should be untouched. If there is no food or no protection from the enemies, the animals dump their nests. Clear cutting in the adjacent areas causes fragmentation and the habitat will be too small or too scattered.

Photo: Jean Michel Bompar
Estonia, August 2011

One of the hotspots - Iisaku - is a small town in NE Estonia and by now it has earned its relevance as the capital of Estonia's Flying Squirrels' dereasing kingdom. In contrary to most locals, who have never seen Flying squirrels with their own eyes, the head of the regional forest department declares that throughout all the 40 years, she has been living in Iisaku, these animals have always been there. Mutual relationships of humans and the squirrels have been if not friendly, then at least neutral, as expected. Moreover - some eagle-eyed hikers sware they have accidentally seen gliding Flying squirrels from the popular watchtower next to the park forest stand in Iisaku.

Photo: Jean Michel Bompar
Estonia, August 2011

In this very critical situation all relevant scientists, monitoring and conservation workers, environmental NGO-s  and nature tourism companies must join into one solid force to provide this cute animal the presumption of innocence and to protect its home among us. It is hard to overestimate the importance of Estonian Fund for Nature in the work, that has been done during the latest decades, as they have been the initiators and the flagship of the investigations and protection activities in Estonia.

ELF had the negotiations with local private forest owners
in June 2015. ENT attended this meeting as well.
Photo: Jaanus Remm

How you can help a Flying Squirrel?

It is simple!

On behalf of every person joining ENT on the Mammals and Birds in Estonia tour,  a donation of  25 Euros is made to this project as ENT feels it is extremely important for the future of this delightful animal. 

Estonian Nature Tours has supported the Flying Squirrel project since 2010, having launched a donation campaign to raise money to buy necessary flying squirrel reasearch equipment. With the help of this research Flying Squirrel may have a chance to increase the population number, which would be most definitely a delight for everyone to see.

ENT is very grateful to everyone who have supported the Flying Squirrel with us:

Mr Hall, Mr Abrehart, Mr Lock, Mr and Mrs Green, Ms Hallam, Ms Peterkin, Mr Wilds, Ms Wright, Mr Webb, Mr Hewson, Mr McNiven, Mr O´Connor, Ms Lynam, Ms King, Mr July, Mr Norman, Mr Haynes, Mr Mark, Mrs Devlin, Ms Joy, Ms Hunter, Mr Atkins, Ms Behenna, Mr Higson, Ms Compton, Ms Dean, Ms Reeves, Mr Sykes, Mr Bompar, Ms Aldridge, Mr Aldridge, Mr and Mrs Hughes, Mr and Mrs Obergassel, Mr and Mrs Robinson, Mr Lambelin, Mr Lambrechts, Mr Boczek, Mrs Jadot, Mrs Duverne, Mrs Williams, Mr van der Dol, Mr Law, Mr Dyett, Mr Brimson, Mr Hows, Mr Thissen, Mr Witkamp, Mr and Mrs Baldock, Mr Knight, Mr Woodhouse, Mr Wright, Mr and Mrs Parker, Mr Victor, Mrs Beeken, Mr and Mrs Free, Ms McKenzie-Lloyd, Ms Morten, Mr Summerfield, Mr and Mrs Baltera, Mr Pilbeam, Mr Dean, Ms Percival, Ms Newell, Mr Moore, Mr Simpson, Mr Peter, Mr Meredith, Mr Wallington, Mr Williams, Mr and Mrs Higginbotham, Mr and Mrs Williams, Mr and Mrs Gange, Mr and Mrs Buck, Ms Alderson, Mr Lyons, Mrs Scarnera, Mrs Vuillemier, Mr and Mrs Evard, Mr Frauche, Mr Lorimer, Mr Gigon, Mr Meier, Mr and Mrs Grosvernier, Mr Jeanneret, Mrs Minier, Mr Fallot, Mr and Mrs Hale, Ms Kelly, Mr Palm, Mr Cooper, Mr and Mrs Knight, Mr and Mrs Jones, Ms Freed, Mrs Hall, Mrs Montgomery, Mr Gordon.

NB! It is also possible to make a personal donation to the Project... 

Estonian Nature Tours (ENT) is supporting a study tour, drawn among applicants for Natura subsidy

“SA Erametsakeskus” (Forest Centre) in cooperation with Estonian Fund for Nature was drawing via e-PRIA four lucky Natura subsidy applicants, who can participate with a companion in a study trip to Flying Squirrel habitats.
The study trip is supported by Estonian Nature Tours and supervised by a wellknown zoologist Uudo Timm and a mycologist Indrek Sell. Uudo Timm is presenting the results of research work of more than 20 years. He is also describing the conditions of Flying Squirrels in Estonia, explaining their needs for habitat and revealing the restrictions of forest management in relevant forest sites.
Indrek Sell is taking the participants to the kingdom of fungi of old-growth forests while other characteristic species and natural values will hopefully be seen.
The prize trip will take place in July 12 this year.
The winners are: Aivar Lambing, Heino Ige, Celia Roose and Rein Ruut. Congrats!

Estonian Nature Tours is caring, having supported Flying Squirrel research work since 2010 and the Young Conservationist Award since 2005.

 Flying Squirrel (Pteromys volans) / Rainar Kurbel

Flying Squirrel trip with Uudo Timm