Flying squirrel information and environmental education

Yellow pellets of a flying squirrel at the foot of a tree among moss.
Flying squirrel pellets. Photo: Tõnu Laasi.

On this page you will find info about topics listed below. Codes in titles address project actions.

  • Flying squirrel data, inventory methods and modelling habitat networks
  • Environmental education and communication
  • Distribution of the Siberian flying squirrel in Estonia and Finland
  • Basic information of the flying squirrel in other sources

Flying squirrel data (A1), inventory methods (A2) and modelling habitat networks (A3)

One of our objectives was to improve the availability of flying squirrel data in Finland and Estonia. Ensuring the data on the occurrence of flying squirrels is as comprehensive and accessible as possible helps to secure habitat networks and facilitates the daily land-use planning.

In Flying squirrel LIFE project, especially Finnish Museum of Natural History Luomus, The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, ELY Centre for Southwest Finland, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) and Estonian Environmental Board were responsible for developing easier access to flying squirrel data.

Flying squirrel data (A1)

A Finnish flying squirrel data bank was compiled by the Finnish Biodiversity Information Facility (FinBIF), which is maintained by Luomus – Finnish Museum of Natural History. The data on known forest areas inhabited by the flying squirrel is available centrally from FinBIF. We have also created a theme page about the protection of the flying squirrel and securing its habitats in there. The theme page includes relevant guide books and publications.

The project partners have co-authored a summary of the legislation related to the flying squirrel, monitoring, conservation and forest use practices in Finland and Estonia: Description of the current conservation legislation and management procedures of the flying squirrel in Finland and Estonia (pdf 1,04 Mt)

Flying squirrel data in Estonia is confidential and processed by environmental protection authorities. During the project, the Estonian Environmental Board (Keskkonnaamet) carries out comprehensive flying squirrel inventories in Estonia.

Inventory methods (A2)

A flying squirrel inventory guide compiled by the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (FANC) helps in identifying habitats suitable for flying squirrels and finding signs of the presence of flying squirrels, such as droppings: Flying squirrel inventory guide (pdf 2,2 Mt, sll.fi, in Finnish), Flying squirrel inventory guide, English summary (pdf 359 kt) FANC has provided also inventory trainings in the project in 2022-2023. Keskkonnaamet is compiling an inventory guide in Estonia.

ELY Centre Southwest Finland is investigating how the sense of smell in trained inventory dogs can be utilised in nature surveys: The use of conservation detection in nature conservation is new by global standards. Based on comparisons made in the Rekijokilaakso Natura 2000 area, dog skills are truly promising. The dogs performing conservation detection are real working dogs trained for the task. Read the summary report of the dog-assisted flying squirrel inventories (pdf 1.6 Mt). Videos from the dog workshop held in Rekijokilaakso in 2022 are still available. (youtube.com, in Finnish). Read more about working dogs at International K9 Institute (ik9i.com)

Modelling habitat networks (A3)

The Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) modeled suitable habitat networks for flying squirrels, i.e. areas likely to be suitable for the species, which can be illustrated on maps. They can be used for land use planning and forest use so that connections between flying squirrel habitats can be considered more effectively. Keskonnaamet was responsible for modelling in Estonia.

In Finland the modelling of suitable habitats was based on the knowledge of flying squirrel habitats, forest data, official species data and revising inventories in field. The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation implemented the field inventories to the habitat modelling sites in 2020. Predictive habitat maps for professional use in Finland can be seen in the Finnish Biodiversity Information Facility (laji.fi). Read more about predictive habitat models from the press release of Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke, in Finnish).

Environmental education and communication (E1)

In Flying Squirrel LIFE project we aimed at sharing information and providing educational tips related to the flying squirrel in many ways:

  • Finnish Museum of Natural History Luomus published an Environmental Education Package (pdf 27 Mt, kuopionluonnontieteellinenmuseo.fi, in Finnish); summary (pdf 126 kt, kuopionluonnontieteellinenmuseo.fi)
  • In Finnish Nature Centre Haltia you can encounter the flying squirrel in urban nature. You can explore the life of a flying squirrel through a slideshow, the VR experience glasses and the game “Next door to a flying squirrel”. In spring 2020, there was also a special exhibition about flying squirrel.
  • Loanable exhibition “Liidossa” was built in the Kuopio Natural History Museum in spring 2022 (kuopionluonnontieteellinenmuseo.fi, in Finnish).
  • An outdoor exhibition was built in the Iisaku Nature Centre, in the middle of the area where the species occurs in northeastern Estonia in summer 2023. Check out the Iisaku Nature Centre (visitestonia.com).
  • The secret life of the flying squirrel can be monitored by nest camera broadcasts. We had two broadcasts over the years:
    • Nest box video by the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (youtube.com)
    • Nest box video by the Kuopio Natural History Museum (youtube.com)
  • New nature trails provided easy access into the flying squirrel forest in Jyväskylä and Rekijokilaakso. The nature trails were made ready for hiking in 2023. An outdoor exhibition was built in Väinölänniemi recreation area in Kuopio.
  • There was a flying squirrel ambassador and nature school in Kuopio.
  • We organised a variety of events, for example, at Finnish Nature Centre Haltia.

Distribution of the Siberian flying squirrel in Finland and Estonia

Flying squirrel distribution in Finland and Estonia. In Finland, flying squirrels are found from Southern Finland to Kuusamo region, and in Estonia the species is found from Northeast parts of the country.
In Finland, the distribution of the flying squirrel is spotted from Hanko to the Kuusamo region. Individual observations have also been made in Oulu and Lapland. The species is most abundant in Ostrobothnia and southwestern Finland.
Flying squirrel observations in Finland from the Laji.fi database in 1995–2021
Map above: Flying squirrel observations in Finland from the Laji.fi database in 1995–2021 (situation on 19 January 2022). The redder the area, the more flying squirrel observations have been reported from the area. Map source: Finnish Biodiversity Info Facility (2022)
The distribution of the flying squirrel extends from Finland through Russia to the Pacific Ocean to Japan.
The distribution of the flying squirrel extends from Finland through Russia to the Pacific Ocean to Japan. Accurate data on the occurrence of the flying squirrel are not available in all areas. The map is based on Schrader (2011) and IUCN data.

Basic information of the flying squirrel in other sources

Flying Squirrel LIFE project guides and other publications can be found on the subpage Guides and other publications.

Last updated 7 October 2025

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