Q: Not more than a couple weeks ago, my brother accidentally hit a dead tree that sits in our front yard. He ran inside and told me that there were flying squirrels living in the tree. With my doubts, I went outside to investigate. Sure enough, a squirrel of some sort leapt from the tip of the tree and glided to another limb about 20 feet away. My family left the dead tree up because we felt it was important for the woodpeckers to have a tree they can depend on. Is it possible to have flying squirrels in the northern tip of Florida? And if so, why haven't we seen them before in the 13 years that we've lived here? Thank you for your time. -- Kay

A: First, I hope your brother is all right....

That's great that you left the dead tree in your yard, which is called a snag. Dead trees and fallen logs can be great places for all kinds of wildlife, even if they can't provide as much cover as they used to. Most people remove snags because they think they are unsightly -- or because their community's zoning laws won't allow them. But the woodpeckers will thank you. (Note: Be sure to remove dead trees, though, when they pose a safety risk. You don't want weak tree parts breaking off and falling on people or cars, for example.)

Southern flying squirrels do live in Florida. They are likely to be more common in northern Florida, where there is more habitat for them than in central and southern Florida. (See the spring 2002 issue of EcoFlorida.) As to why you haven't seen them before, that's the mystery of wildlife.

Animals have a fight for survival every day, and not being seen is a great way to keep surviving. That's why wildlife watching is so rewarding -- during those times you actually spot that snake slithering through the ferns or see the little warbler high up in a tree. It could be that the squirrels were there, and you just didn't notice them.

It's also possible that the flying squirrels have recently moved into your area. They may have come from another place nearby where they were pushed out of their home because of development. They may have found your yard to be a good place to find food. Or, the population may be expanding.

Flying squirrels are more active at night, too, so that makes them less likely to be seen.

While they don't actually fly, flying squirrels can glide for some distance from tree to tree because of the extra skin fold between their front and back legs. Enjoy watching them!

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