First record of a roadkill hairy-footed flying squirrel Belomys pearsonii (Gray, 1842) from Arunachal Pradesh, India

Abstract

Ten of the 13 flying squirrel species are threatened with extinction due to habitat loss, degradation, and hunting in eastern India. Arunachal Pradesh's rapidly expanding transportation infrastructure is a new emerging threat to this species and possibly others. An adult roadkill specimen of hairy-footed flying squirrel was found in East Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh, India. This is the first record of a hairy-footed flying squirrel roadkill. Roadkill surveys frequently give ecological, and sometimes, morphological information otherwise unavailable. Detailed research on wildlife and its relationship to roadway infrastructure in biodiverse areas such as Arunachal Pradesh's forests can aid in the development of efficient mitigation measures.