ONE OF THE WORLD’S CUTEST ANIMALS IS ABSURDLY DIFFICULT TO PHOTOGRAPH. NOW, AT LAST, ONE PHOTOGRAPHER HAS OPENED A UNIQUE WINDOW INTO ITS VERY PRIVATE LIFE.
With their cartoonish eyes, smiling faces and long, fluffy tails, flying squirrels are the embodiment of cuteness. But there’s more to these engaging creatures than just making hearts melt. As their name suggests, they can also fly (or, more accurately, glide). For an animal with such undeniable charm, one might expect a level of ubiquity and fame on par with pandas, or kittens. But surprisingly, flying squirrels are not well documented. Images of their behaviour are few and far between. Why? Because they’re nocturnal, hard to spot, and spend most of their time high off the ground. Add to that the fact that they’re lightning-fast and you have all the ingredients to confound even the hardiest of nature photographers.
But that wasn’t enough to put off Tony Wu. Over three winters, Wu tackled hopeless odds – and possibly the steepest learning curve of his career – to create a world-beating portfolio on the elusive Ezo flying squirrel. Wu has captured these animals like no-one else before, peeling back some of the mystery surrounding their secretive lives.
Set against the enchanting backdrop of snow-dusted forests in Hokkaido, Japan, this story is perfect for winter features and comes complete with text.
Read the full story PDF to see flying squirrels as you’ve never seen them before – and find out what it took to get the photos!
Tony Wu / Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans orii) flying directly over photographer. Hokkaido, Japan. February.
01697721
Tony Wu / Composite image showing landing sequence of Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans orii), covering distance of about four meters in less than half a second. Hokkaido, Japan. February.
01697726
Tony Wu / Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans orii) plucking out and consuming male catkins of Erman's birch (Betula ermanii) from stashed food in unused bird's nest. Unusual behaviour. Hokkaido, Japan. F...
01697718
Tony Wu / Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans orii) leaning down to consume snow for moisture. Hokkaido, Japan. February.
01697742
Tony Wu / Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans orii) consuming snow for moisture. Behavior taking place most often after foraging. Hokkaido, Japan. February.
01697703
Tony Wu / Composite image showing Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans orii) defecating for duration of about twenty seconds after emerging from nest to forage. Hokkaido, Japan. March.
01693396
Tony Wu / Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans orii) dropping pile at base of tree. Hokkaido, Japan. March.
01697749
Tony Wu / Female Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans orii) feasting on branch cut from nearby Sakhalin fir tree (Abies sachalinensis). Hokkaido, Japan. February.
01697736
Tony Wu / Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans orii) consuming male catkins from Erman's birch tree (Betula ermanii). Hokkaido, Japan. February.
01697699
Tony Wu / Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans orii) perched at top of twenty meter Japanese elm tree (Ulmus davidiana var. japonica) early in morning. Hokkaido, Japan. March.
01693409
Tony Wu / Male catkins of East Asian alder tree (Alnus japonica), highly prized food among Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans orii). Hokkaido, Japan. March.
01675821
Tony Wu / Leaf buds of Japanese elm (Ulmus davidiana var. japonica), one of the favored foods of Japanese dwarf flying squirrels (Pteromys volans orii), Hokkaido, Japan.
