Preliminary Estimation of Population Density of the Siberian Flying Squirrel (Pteromys Volans Orii) in Natural Forest of Hokkaido, Japan

Zoogeography of Terrestrial Mammals on Kunashiri Island:Are There Arboreal Small Mammals on this Small Boreal Island?

“…We used wooden nest boxes to investigate the distribution of Siberian flying squirrels and small Japanese field mice on Kunashiri Island. The nest box is useful tool for investigating arboreal small mammals and is often used in ecological studies of Siberian flying squirrels [17] and small Japanese field mice [18] in Hokkaido. Nest boxes have not been used on Kunashiri Island.…”

“…Here, we discuss the biogeography of mammals occurring on Kunashiri Island. Hokkaido, Siberian flying squirrels used 63% of the nest boxes for six months [17]. The small Japanese field mouse used 0.5% of nest boxes in Shari, Hokkaido, for a year [23].…”

Do Siberian Flying Squirrels reuse nest materials made by other individuals?

“…Each month, from May to September in 2013 and from May to October in 2014, we checked inside each nest box in the daytime. When we found flying squirrels in nest boxes, to distinguish each individual, we ear-tagged them (Suzuki et al 2011). Ear tags were 2.5 mm by 6.0 mm (KN-295-A, Natsume Seisakushyo Co., Ltd).…”

“…Entrance dimensions were 4 cm by 4 cm. In May 2011, in each study site, we attached 60 nest boxes to trees at heights of 3 m. Following Suzuki et al (2011), we made three line transects, placing 20 nest boxes along each transect at 20-30-m intervals (Fig. 2).…”

“…Following to Suzuki et al (2011), we built wooden nest boxes with inside dimensions of 11 cm by 16 cm by 20 cm. Entrance dimensions were 4 cm by 4 cm.…”