20 Pictures Of Japanese Dwarf Flying Squirrels That Are Too Adorable

There is no doubt that we all once dreamed of Pokémon being real life creatures so that we could “catch” them Ash Ketchum style; however, there are animals that are just as incredible as these animated creatures and you have to meet, for example, the amazing Japanese dwarf flying squirrels.

These fantastic creatures can only be found in Honshu and Kyushu islands, which are remote places in Japan. Although there are about 50 different species of flying squirrels around the world, they are unique because of their charming appearance and through social networks they have been called ‘pokémon squirrels’.

These animals are quite small, measuring only 14-20 centimeters and weighing 150-220 grams, and they reproduce relatively well. Unlike other squirrels, pokémon squirrels have two reproductive cycles per year instead of one.

Their unique and charming appearance is what has caused them to be compared to cartoons, since they are extremely small and spongy beings, in addition to the fact that they are capable of making very long jumps that give them the appearance of flying through the skies in the form of bats or birds.

The flight of these squirrels is achieved thanks to a membrane, which extends from the front to the back extremities and is covered with hair. In addition, the Japanese dwarf flying squirrel glides long distances of up to 100 meters at a time, using this ability to move between trees or escape from predators.

Pokémon’ squirrels feed mainly on nuts, pine seeds, the buds and bark of certain trees, fruits and some insects.

After certain images and videos of Japanese dwarf flying squirrels became popular, they quickly went viral because of their charming appearance, and users noticed a similarity between them and the creatures in the Pokémon cartoon.

Although they live in a remote part of the planet, you’ll want to travel to Japan to get up close and personal with these beautiful animals and watch them jump and fly through trees.