Sugar Glider or Flying Squirrel

In Illinois you will find many squirrels scurrying around, but have you ever seen one fly? Flying squirrels are found in many places including Southern Illinois. They have a membrane that stretches from their front to back legs, which allows them to glide through the air from tree to tree. These unique squirrels can be easily confused with a similar mammal called a sugar glider. The main difference in appearance between these two animals is their young. Both animals have the same membrane, but female sugar gliders have a pouch on their stomachs that carries their young, whereas sugar gliders do not. Flying squirrel kits are also larger than those of sugar gliders.