Muskoka Wildlife Centre





  
American Toad
Viber
Badger
Dozer
Sandy
Bald Eagle
Thorondor
Hal
Barn Owl
Barney (a.k.a. Moonface)
Silo
Beaver
Woodrow
Millie
Black Bear
Kootenay
Black Rat Snake
Kingston
Licorice
Blanding's Turtle
Oliver
Bobcat
Rufus
Box Turtle
Murtle
Bull Frog
Fergus
Cottontail Rabbit
Peter
Cougar
Kokanee
Eastern Fox Snake
Copper
Eastern Hog-nosed Snake
Olive
Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle
Snorkel
Fisher
Mike
Five-Lined Skink
Liz
Flying Squirrel
Pixie
Peanut
Garter Snake (Common)
Sir Hiss
Great Horned Owl
Dr. Hoo (not on display)
Green Frog
Kermit
Gargoyle
Grey Tree Frog
Twiggy
Groundhog/Woodchuck
Clover
Kestrel
Punk
Leopard Frog
Hoppy
Lynx
Yeti
Map Turtle (Northern)
Atlas
Marten
Conifer
Milk Snake
Beatrice
Moose
Chocolate
Lucky
Northern Bobwhite
Bob
Painted Turtle
Raphael
Willamina
Peregrine Falcon
Apollo
Porcupine
Quillber
Thistle
Raccoon
Dawn
Juniper
Latte
Raven
Edgar
Nevermore
Red Fox
Fenn
Renard
Red-tailed Hawk
Will Scarlet (not on display)
Saw-whet Owl
Luna
Snapping Turtle
Sam
Junior (not on display)
Spotted Salamander
Happy
Stinkpot Turtle
Lily (not on display)
Striped Skunk
Flower
Turkey Vulture
Barfalomew (not on display)
Wolf
Montana
Akayla
Wolverine
Hyde
Gulo
Wood Turtle
Oakley


Pixie the Flying Squirrel



Share Pixie the Flying Squirrel's Story
Born: May 2001
Sex: Female
  Pixie was acquired July 1, 2001 .  This little girl was captive raised at a science centre in Sudbury and was donated to our centre when she was less than 2 months old.

Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus)

Average Size: Average Weight:
Body length 13- 18 cm (5- 7 inches) Tail length 10- 17cm (4 - 7 inches) 75-140 grams (2.5 - 4.9 ounces)
Average Lifespan: Range:
3-4 years in the Wild and up to 10 years in captivity Widespread throughout Ontario

Dining and Dwelling

Life and Death

These little gliders prefer seeds; also tree buds, bark, leaves, lichens, fruits, nuts, tiny soil fungi, maple sap, insects, bird eggs and fledglings.

Flying squirrels are found in heavily wooded areas primarily composed of coniferous species and northern hardwoods such as spruce, cedar, hemlock, or yellow birch habitats. These nocturnal creatures nest during the day in cavities and holes made by woodpeckers or in old leaf nests.

A female can give birth the spring after she is born (at 9 months old). After a gestation of 37 days she will give birth to 2-6 young. In the summer the mother will defend her territory from other squirrels, of both sexes. Males are less territorial and often overlap territories with other males. They do not hibernate and have been seen active in temperatures as low as -24 C.

They are prey to many animals such as owls, hawks, weasels, martens, lynx, bobcat, domestic cat, foxes, wolves and trout.

That's Amazing

  • Despite their name, flying squirrels do not fly, they glide by extending their limbs which streches the excess skin between their wrist and ankle on each side
  • Flying squirrels can glide as far as 90 metres (270 feet) in a single glide.