Namdapha flying squirrel  (Biswamoyopterus biswasi)

This little-known flying squirrel has a very restricted range, and is currently known from only one location (1). Like other restricted-range species, this makes it particularly vulnerable to any threats, which could rapidly affect all individuals in the population. The Namdapha flying squirrel is presently threatened by habitat loss and degradation (1), caused by clear-felling for human settlements, shifting agriculture, and the extraction of non-timber forest products, particularly the leaves of a rattan palm, Zalacca secunda, for use as a roofing material (5).

The Namdapha flying squirrel occurs within Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh (4). Despite the protection of this large area, it is still affected by human activities, such as those mentioned above. The Namdapha National Park contains not only the Critically Endangered Namdapha flying squirrel, but is also home to populations of other threatened species, including tigers (Panthera tigris), snow leopards (Uncia unicia) and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). The effective protection of the Namdapha National Park is therefore incredibly important, but this is also an incredibly difficult aim to achieve. This is not only due to the park’s inaccessibility, the lack of legal enforcement and shortage of well-trained and equipped personnel, but also due to the local people’s dependence on the forest and the materials it provides. This means that any conservation measures require local people’s participation to be successful (5).