Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 November 2024 | 16(11): 26163–26166

 

ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) 

https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.9328.16.11.26163-26166

#9328 | Received 25 July 2024 | Final received 09 October 2024 | Finally accepted 11 November 2024

 

 

Photographic record of Kashmir Gliding Squirrel Eoglaucomys fimbriatus (J.E. Gray, 1837) from the Gurez Valley, Jammu & Kashmir, India

 

G. Mustufa Lone 1 , Bilal A. Bhat 2, Mir Shabir Hussain 3 & Arif Nabi Lone 4

 

1–4 Department of Zoology, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir 190006, India.

1 lonemustufa.ku@gmail.com, 2 bilalwildlife@gmail.com, 3 mirshabir057@gmail.com, 4 arifnabi.ku@gmail.com (corresponding author)

 

 

Editor: Murali Krishna Chatakonda, Amity University, Noida, India.         Date of publication: 26 November 2024 (online & print)

 

Citation: Lone, G.M., B.A. Bhat, M.S. Hussain & A.N. Lone (2024). Photographic record of Kashmir Gliding Squirrel Eoglaucomys fimbriatus (J.E. Gray, 1837) from the Gurez Valley, Jammu & Kashmir, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 16(11): 26163–26166. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.9328.16.11.26163-26166

  

Copyright: © Lone et al. 2024. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproduction, and distribution of this article in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publication.

 

Funding: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt of India for financially supporting this work by providing grants under UGC (NFST) fellowship scheme.

 

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

 

Acknowledgements: We duly acknowledge and appreciate the contributions of all the authors who participated in data collection, manuscript writing and revision, and finalization.

 

 

Abstract: Around 48 species of gliding squirrels are present in the world; found mainly in tropical regions of North America, Eurasia, and southeastern Asia. The Kashmir Gliding Squirrel Eoglaucomys fimbriatus is a rare species of rodent that belongs to the family Sciuridae. It is a nocturnal species, resting during the daytime in tree shelters and emerging at night to feed. This paper documents the direct sighting of the Kashmir Gliding Squirrel from the Gurrai Nallah, Gurez Valley of Jammu & Kashmir.

 

Keywords: Biodiversity, direct sighting, Gurrai Nallah, mammal, monotypic, nocturnal, rodent, Sciuridae, temperate forest, western Himalaya.

 

                              

 

 

There are around 48 species of gliding squirrels recognized in the world (Corbet & Hill 1992; Hoffmann 1993; Thorington et al. 1996). They are found mainly in tropical regions of North America, Eurasia and southeastern Asia (Hoffmann 1993; Koprowski & Nandini 2008). Gliding squirrels have long intrigued mammalogists worldwide, triggering extensive research into their ecology, biology and population dynamics (Oshida et al. 2005; Dinets 2011; Qamar et al. 2012; Wassmer & Refinetti 2016). In India, the eastern Himalaya has high diversity of gliding squirrels than the western Himalaya. Only two species of gliding squirrels have been recorded from western Himalaya, namely, the Red Giant gliding Squirrel Petaurista petaurista and Kashmir Gliding Squirrel Eoglaucomys fimbriatus (Koli 2016). The Kashmir Gliding Squirrel is a rodent species that belongs to the family Sciuridae. It is a monotypic species within the genus Eoglaucomys and is found in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India (Dar 1996; Nowak 1999; Sheikh & Molur 2005). In India, the species is distributed across the northwestern Himalaya from  northern Punjab to Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir (Corbett & Hill 1992). Pasha & Suhail (1997) collected a specimen from Ranikhet Kumao, Uttar Pradesh which extends its range about 300 km.

Primarily confined to the Himalayan moist temperate forest, it often coexists with the  Red  Giant Gliding Squirrel Petaurista petaurista (Corbet & Hill 1992; Roberts 1977). The Kashmir Gliding Squirrel is an arboreal and nocturnal rodent, remains inactive during daytime hours and rests in tree shelters, and becoming  active at night when it feeds (Sperry et al. 2013). It exhibits gliding flight, facilitated by long flaps of loose skin and nests in a variety of deciduous and conifer trees such as Pine, Abies, and Spruce (Roberts 1977). The diet mainly consists of leaves, flowers, seeds, fruits, insects, and a variety of nuts (Ahmad et al. 2023). Gliding squirrels are immensely important as seed dispersers and pollinators in forest ecosystems.

The Kashmir Gliding Squirrel has a scattered population across the Himalaya. Their overly dependence on old-growth forests makes them vulnerable to habitat changes such as deforestation and habitat fragmentation both of which have contributed largely to their population decline (Sheikh & Molur 2005). Besides, their fascinating agility to glide through the air also renders them attractive targets for hunting (Umapathy & Kumar 2000; Kumara & Singh 2006). The population size and distribution of the Kashmir Gliding Squirrel is not known. Although listed as ‘Least Concern’ (IUCN 2016), the species is rare to find and has remained understudied due to its elusive and nocturnal nature, and inhabiting remote and inaccessible areas. This emphasizes the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect this unique species.

 

Study Area

The valley of Gurez lies in the Great Himalayan range of Jammu & Kashmir. It is situated at an altitude of 2,400─4,300 m. The vegetation of the region varies with the altitude and is characterized by pine, fir, and cedar at lower elevations to alpine flora such as juniper and rhododendron at higher reaches. The Gurez Valley is a treasure of a diverse array of wildlife species such as Himalayan Brown Bear, Himalayan Black Bear, Himalayan  Marmot, Musk  Deer, Common Leopard, Himalayan Ibex, and various species of birds (Dad & Khan 2011). The valley is crucial for its biodiversity and serves as a habitat for both resident and migratory bird species.

 

Results and Discussion

The two individuals of the Kashmir Gliding Squirrel were observed at 20:04 h on 25 May 2024, while walking in a dense forest near the Gurrai Nallah (34.5930N 74.6570E) at an elevation of 2,840 m (Image 1 & 2). The individuals displayed typical behaviours of squirrels such as gliding between trees and feeding on bark and tree foliage. Two gliding incidents were reported and these were performed between two spruce trees. The average gliding height was around 9 m and the distance between the gliding trees was 5 m. The identification of E. fimbriatus was confirmed on the basis of its distinctive morphological features which include a large dark brown or black orbit, elongated skull, large and blunt ears, and long whiskers. The back fur is long and the belly hair is creamy in colour (Roberts 1977; Ahmad et al. 2023). The  tail is slightly flat, bushy, and brown along with the black tip. The outer edge of the hindlimb has a broad clump of hairs (Jerdon 1867; Sterndale 1884; Pasha & Suhail 1997).

The habitat from where this species was recorded is a typical conifer dominated by Abies pindrow, Picea smithiana, and Pinus wallichiana, which are essential for the species’ nesting and foraging activities (Image 3). The sighting of the Kashmir Gliding Squirrel from the Gurez Valley highlights that the valley’s forest ecosystems provide suitable habitat conditions for the species. The presence of mature forests with ample tree cover and minimal human disturbance appears to be critical for the survival of E. fimbriatus. This finding emphasizes the importance of preserving these habitats from deforestation and other anthropogenic pressures to ensure species’ long-term survival.

 

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