Trivia question for Apr-21-2011

Olivia likes the looks of these guys so she did her research on them for todays trivia.  These guys are elusive creatures that live high in the treetops where they’re camouflaged by a speckled coat.

They are surprisingly clumsy climbers. Lacking opposable thumbs and not being especially strong, they proceed upwards in a series of slow hops, gripping onto the bark of trees with their small, sharp claws. They are as comfortable hanging underneath a branch as sitting on top of it. In the air, however, they are very capable, and can glide from one tree to another with minimal loss of height.

These are gliding mammals found in South-east Asia. There are just two extant species,which make up the entire family. They are the most capable of all gliding mammals, using flaps of extra skin between their legs to glide from higher to lower locations.

So here are Olivia’s questions.  These guys are virtually helpless on the ground, yet in the treetops, they can glide for incredible distances.  How far can they glide?  Also, tell us how high above the ground do these guys usually live.

Good Luck 😉

Answer:

Congratulations to Linda from South Africa for know what this gliding critter was.  We featured the Colugos.  Colugos (pronounced /kəˈluːɡoʊ/) are arboreal gliding mammals found in South-east Asia. They are the most capable of all gliding mammals, using flaps of extra skin between their legs to glide from higher to lower locations. They are know to glide distances of up to 300-feet.  They are also known as cobegos or flying lemurs, though they are not true lemurs.

Colugos usually live 80 to 165-feet above the ground.  Colugos are fairly large for a tree-dwelling mammal: at about 35 to 40 centimetres (14 to 16 in) in length and 1 to 2 kilograms (2.2 to 4.4 lb) in weight, they are comparable to a medium-sized possum or a very large squirrel. They have moderately long, slender limbs of equal length front and rear, a medium-length tail, and a relatively light build.  Here is more on these elusive guys:  Colugos

Thanks for playing along 😉