Location. As members of the rodent family, they have large incisor teeth, ... Washington, it was listed as a State Threatened species in 1993 and Tree squirrels generally have bushy tails, sharp claws and large ears, while ground squirrels have shorter legs and less bushy fur. Northern flying squirrels are widely distributed throughout Washington state, living only in heavily forested areas. There are four native squirrel species in the state: the western gray, Douglas’, red and flying squirrels. Whether a flying squirrel is legal in a particular place or not is not always black or white. There are two species of fox squirrels native to Maryland. They are certainly not something one would encounter on the UW campus. They are much smaller than other tree squirrels in the state, making them very easy to distinguish. Laws vary based on city and county ordinances as well. Are flying squirrels in Washington? This article should not be used as a source to determine what pet is legal in your state. While some states or cities may have an outright ban on flying squirrels and exotic animals as pets, many others simply require that the pet owner purchase a license for the animal or register it before adopting. The northern flying squirrel is found in the northern and central counties of the state, whereas the southern flying squirrel can be found throughout the state. Flying squirrels don’t actually fly, but they are expert hang gliders. Along their sides they have a flap of skin running between the front and back legs on the right and on the left called a patagium that is used for gliding. Figure 1. Land Acknowledgement: The Burke Museum stands on the lands of the Coast Salish Peoples, whose ancestors resided here since time immemorial.Many Indigenous peoples thrive in this place—alive and strong. It’s probably because these “flying” squirrels are actually strictly nocturnal as opposed to their diurnal counterparts we see most often around the greater Seattle area. Its eyes are dark and large, and its tail is wide and flat. Southern flying squirrels nest in tree cavities and typically produce 2 litters per year. The western gray squirrel was added to Washington’s list of state threatened species in 1993 when surveys indicated a decline in its geographical distribution. Instead of running around on the ground, they climb to the top of a tall tree, launch into the air, glide downward to the bottom of another tree and repeat the process to get where they’re going. Living with wildlife: Tree squirrels. Note: The point of this article is to list at least one interesting pet that is legal in each state; therefore, the list is far from comprehensive ,and laws change all the time. (The eastern… Flying Squirrels Do Live in New Jersey. “For 200 years we thought we had only had one species of flying squirrel in the Northwest — until we looked at the nuclear genome, in addition to mitochondrial DNA, for the first time,” said study co-author Jim Kenagy, professor emeritus of biology at the University of Washington and curator emeritus of mammals at the Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture.