"I visited the farm this morning and came across an incredible creature that I just had to share with fellow photography lovers. Join me as I introduce you to the fascinating Malayan Colugo."
The Malayan colugo (also known as the Malayan flying lemur, though it's not a true lemur) is a fascinating gliding mammal found in Southeast Asia. Here's a quick overview:
Malayan Colugo (Galeopterus variegatus)
Classification:
Common Name: Malayan colugo / Sunda flying lemur
Scientific Name: Galeopterus variegatus
Order: Dermoptera
Family: Cynocephalidae
Habitat:
Found in tropical rainforests of Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and southern Myanmar.
Appearance:
Size: About the size of a domestic cat.
Has a large membrane of skin (called a patagium) stretching from its neck to the tips of its fingers, toes, and tail — allowing it to glide distances of over 100 meters.
Gliding Ability:
Not a true flyer like bats, but one of the most skillful gliders among mammals.
Uses its patagium to glide from tree to tree in search of food and to avoid predators.
Diet:
Herbivorous: Eats mostly leaves, flowers, buds, sap, and fruit.
Behavior:
Nocturnal and arboreal (tree-dwelling).
Very shy and elusive; rarely seen during the day.
Reproduction:
Gives birth to a single offspring at a time.
The young cling to the mother’s belly and are protected by the patagium, like in a pouch.
Conservation Status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List), but faces threats from deforestation and habitat fragmentation.
Picture: Photography
Category: Malayan Colugo
Camera use: Handphone
Model: Redmi14C
Photographer: @ubglo17
Location: Idu Uruan,Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
Link to original: Community