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After 42 years, nocturnal flying squirrel resurfaces in Arunachal Pradesh

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Guwahati, Dec 22: Good news for environmental lovers because, after going missing for 42 years, a nocturnal flying squirrel has resurfaced in Arunachal Pradesh.

This arboreal and nocturnal species, known only from a single specimen collected in 1981, has been a source of fascination and frustration for conservationists.

Ten of these expeditions were by teams from Aaranyak, an Assam-based biodiversity conservation group, for a total of 79 days in 2021. A team from the group finally sighted the Namdapha flying squirrel in April 2022.

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The team led by Firoz Ahmed included Sourav Gupta, a field researcher, and Sourav Mardi, a volunteer who visited various potential sites close to a river at night. Tajum Yomcha, a research officer with the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department, aided in the search for the elusive species.

While photographic evidence suggests the sighting could be a Namdapha flying squirrel, definitive confirmation requires DNA analysis. Dr. Ahmed and his team are currently designing a study to collect DNA samples from the field and compare them with the 1981 specimen stored at the Zoological Survey of India in Kolkata.

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Flying squirrels are majestic animals,โ€ says Dr. Ahmed, โ€œand both the Namdapha and Red giant flying squirrels make Namdapha National Park even more special.โ€

He further described the potential of this rediscovery as a flagship for conservation efforts in the park and a beacon of hope for other lost species.

Read: Cold wave grips Manipur: Schools shut down for 8 days

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