Why the future of West Virginia's rare flying squirrel looks bright
Guest Columnist
January 21, 2020, 9:30 a.m.
The West Virginia northern flying squirrel was listed as an endangered species in 1985, but efforts to help the species rebound have been so successful that it has been delisted. (Photo: Barb Sargent/West Virginia DNR)
There's no better way to celebrate the squirrel, that tiny powerhouse of the forest, than with some good news about one of the more unique subspecies, the West Virginia northern flying squirrel.
The squirrel — called the Virginia northern flying squirrel or more commonly the West Virginia northern flying squirrel (WVNFS) — was listed as an endangered species in 1985. But restoration efforts have helped the species rebound, and in 2013 the West Virginia northern flying squirrel joined an exclusive group of success stories — species that have been taken off the endangered list.
Since then, restoration work has ramped up. Now a new report assessing the status of the squirrel in its first five years since coming off of the endangered species list indicates there are many reasons to be optimistic.
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