Complex-toothed flying squirrel

The complex-toothed flying squirrel, Trogopterus xanthipes, is a flying squirrel of the mountains of southern China, where it occurs in Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, Sichuan and Yunnan. Its common name refers to its teeth, which differ from those of other flying squirrels. It looks much like its relatives, with grey-brown fur that is white beneath, a slight reddish tinge on the face and tail, and a characteristic tuft of black hair below the base of each ear. The whole animal measures about 60 cm, roughly half of that tail. It nests in cliffs and is nocturnal, leaving the nest at night to feed on nuts, fruits and leaves. It is classed as near threatened because habitat loss and hunting for food and traditional Chinese medicine are shrinking its population, and its droppings are made into a tea used in traditional medicine.