Two Endangered Flying Squirrels Found on a Downtown Ulsan Walking Trail

[Financial News Ulsan = Reporter Choi Soo-sang] A flying squirrel, designated both a Natural Monument and Class II endangered wildlife, has been found to be establishing a home along a riverside walking trail in downtown Ulsan, drawing public attention.
According to Ulsan Metropolitan City on the 6th, the flying squirrel was first discovered at around 2 p.m. on September 9. Lee Chan-sook, a natural environment interpreter in Ulsan, spotted one flying squirrel in a woodpecker hole in a black locust tree while observing a woodpecker habitat along the walking trail between Samho Bridge and Bancheon Bridge in the middle section of the Taehwagang River. She successfully photographed it.
The flying squirrel was designated a Natural Monument in 1982 and is also protected as Class II endangered wildlife designated by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment. Its presence has previously been confirmed in forested areas, including the vicinity of Seongnamsa Temple in Deokhyeon-ri, Sangbuk-myeon, Ulju-gun, Ulsan; Baenae Village in Icheon-ri; and the cypress forest on Cheonmasan in Buk-gu. However, this is the first time it has been observed on a Taehwagang River walking trail frequented by citizens.
After hearing that the flying squirrel had been discovered, Ulsan citizen biologist and photographer Yoon Gi-deuk returned to the site with Lee Chan-sook's guidance. On September 17 and 23, around sunset, he filmed two flying squirrels entering and leaving the tree hole.
According to Dr. Sang-hoon Han of the Hanbando Wildlife Research Institute, flying squirrels normally live independently, with males and females staying apart. The fact that the two were together suggests that they were a male and female pair and may have been preparing to breed. Flying squirrels reproduce once or twice a year.
After the animals were identified as flying squirrels, Ulsan Metropolitan City and photographer Yoon Gi-deuk began closely monitoring them. However, they have now disappeared from view. The authorities considered installing an endoscopic camera in the woodpecker hole where the pair had been staying to determine whether they had bred, but decided against it to protect the flying squirrels' safety and preserve the ecosystem.

Flying squirrels are small members of the squirrel family in the order Rodentia, measuring around 15–20 cm in body length. They are known for gliding between trees by spreading the skin membrane, or patagium, between their forelegs and hind legs. Nocturnal animals active from dusk until dawn, they have large black eyes and long whiskers adapted to nighttime activity, making them difficult to observe during the day.
An Ulsan Metropolitan City official said, "The woodpecker hole here is a shared space used by various birds and small animals, and this time it appears that a pair of flying squirrels has chosen it as a breeding site." The official added, "The fact that flying squirrels were found on a walking trail used by many citizens demonstrates the ecological value of the Taehwagang River."
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