Is this a new species?

[ogdens]

Hi

I live in Wandsworth and, while walking through Wimbledon Common, I saw an animal which I couldn't recognize.

It was small, squirrel-like (with a bushy tail) and was eating nuts on the ground. It's face , however,looked more mouse like with long whiskers and black eyes and small ears.

When I came along, I obviously disturbed it and it scrambled up the nearest tree. When at the top, it leapt to the next one. As it did this, flaps of skin stretched between it's front and back legs and it gilded to the next tree.

I couldn't believe my eyes, I had never seen anything like this before. I would imagine it is a common species, can anyone tell me what it was.

Thanks

Kolin Edwood Barnz

[Dogghound]

Its an escapee, a flying squirrel Pteromyini sp,(they glide not fly) their are 43 species they are quite common in North American and Asia. You would need a photo for the species as alot look similar, yours sounds alot like Glaucomys sabrinus an american species.

[ogdens]

Thanks.
Where do you think it might have escaped from on Wimbledon Common?
Do people keep them as pets?

[Lance Morgan]

Could it have been a flying womble or a chipmunk maybe

[ogdens]

A flying womble?
What's one of those, can't say I've heard of them! I have, however, heard of chipmunks and have kept them. Its wasn't one of those!
Good thought though!

[Cazzie]

Sounds like a Sugar Glider to me - did it have black stripes down it's flanks and lovely big buggy eyes?

[ogdens]

Yes it did have stripes down it's back and a couple on it's head!
Apparantly there are more than one. I have talked to a friend of mine (not given to flights of fancy)and he has seen two or three on the common, as have other people I have talked to.
It appears there is a colony (is that the right word?) In Wimbledon. I wonder how they got there?
A Sugar Glider doesn't sound like a native species!
Thanks
Kolin

[DrJohn1]

Yes Kolin, I have seen them too!
A number of us at the 'Friends Of The Common' go watching for them about once or twice a week.
To my knowledge they were first noticed about 2000 and appear to be breeding. They are very lovely creatures, although very timid. This is probably just as well as it keeps them out of danger from them less desirable persons of the General Public and various other predators.
I must agree with Cazzie, they are indeed Sugar Gliders and as such are not natives of these shores. How they got here and were introduced into the wild is uncertain and I wonder if we will ever know.
I hope this helps.

[Cazzie]

Originally Posted by ogdens

Yes it did have stripes down it's back and a couple on it's head!
Apparantly there are more than one. I have talked to a friend of mine (not given to flights of fancy)and he has seen two or three on the common, as have other people I have talked to.
It appears there is a colony (is that the right word?) In Wimbledon. I wonder how they got there?
A Sugar Glider doesn't sound like a native species!
Thanks
Kolin

No it isn't! They are marsupials from Australia originally, but many people keep them as pets these days.

There's no doubt they were originally escapee's and they are a communial species which is obviously why so many have been seen together in Wimbledon. Kinda cute, but non-native all the same.

[Gill Catton]

I'm still voting for flying wombles