Flying Squirrel Soft Toy - Hansa Creation Plush

The flying squirrel by Hansa Creation lies flat with its limbs outstretched, as though caught mid-glide between two trees. The furry gliding membrane between the front and hind legs is clearly defined, giving the animal its unmistakable silhouette. With large, dark eyes and a flattened tail, it looks ready to launch from the nearest shelf. In science lessons or woodland projects, this soft toy helps explain how certain animals glide through the air without wings. It also makes a striking display piece on a branch or shelf — the outstretched posture draws attention straight away. Like all Hansa Creation animals, this piece is entirely hand-crafted: fabrics are individually cut, hand-sewn, and the face is finished with airbrushed detail.

The flying squirrel has a body length of approximately 18 cm and a tail measuring around 17 cm. Its total length is approximately 35 cm. A nylon cord with a keyring is attached to the centre of its back, allowing the figure to be suspended in a flying position.

Flying squirrels (Pteromyini) belong to the squirrel family and live exclusively in forests — they avoid open landscapes because gliding would be impossible there. A furred membrane called the patagium stretches between the front and hind legs, held taut by a sickle-shaped cartilage at the wrist. This allows them to cover distances of 50 metres or more, and giant flying squirrels have been recorded gliding over 400 metres in a single flight. Most species are nocturnal or crepuscular, which explains their strikingly large eyes. Depending on the species, flying squirrels weigh anywhere from 25 grams for the smallest to around 1.5 kilograms for the largest.

Did you know that flying squirrels can perform 180-degree turns in mid-glide? By making small adjustments to their leg and tail positions, they control direction and speed precisely enough to dodge airborne predators such as owls. Even more remarkably, North American flying squirrels glow pink under ultraviolet light. Biologists only discovered this phenomenon in 2019 — and why these animals fluoresce remains a mystery to this day.