Are There Flying Squirrels in Hawaii?
No, flying squirrels do not naturally occur in Hawaii. These North American rodents are found only on the mainland United States and have never established populations in the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii's geographic isolation and strict biosecurity laws prevent the introduction of mainland squirrel species.
By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself. Updated July 22, 2026.
Carolina Northern Flying Squirrel · Evan M. Raskin CC BY
Southern Flying Squirrel · Hila Taylor CC BY
Southern Flying Squirrel · Nik Hughes CC BY
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- GBIF records
Flying Squirrels aren't established in Hawaii, so you might be wondering:
No, flying squirrels do not naturally occur in Hawaii. These North American rodents are found only on the mainland United States and have never established populations in the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii's geographic isolation and strict biosecurity laws prevent the introduction of mainland squirrel species.
Why Flying Squirrels Are Absent from Hawaii
Flying squirrels have never reached Hawaii naturally because the species evolved exclusively on the North American mainland. The Pacific Ocean's expanse of over two thousand miles from California to Hawaii presents an insurmountable barrier that no wild flying squirrel could cross. Ocean currents and storms that occasionally transport seeds, birds, and other organisms across great distances cannot carry tree-dwelling squirrels lacking any water-crossing adaptations. The fossil record shows flying squirrels have existed in North America for millions of years but never dispersed to Hawaii even during ice ages when ocean levels dropped. Hawaii's colonization by mammals came primarily through human introduction, with rats arriving with Polynesian voyagers and later introductions of cattle, pigs, and other domestic species. Flying squirrels never arrived by accident in cargo or on ships reaching Hawaiian ports. Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources maintains strict quarantine regulations preventing the intentional or accidental introduction of flying squirrels. These regulations protect Hawaii's native ecosystems from mainland predators and competitors. Flying squirrels remain unknown in Hawaiian forests and wild habitats throughout all eight main islands. Visit ourHawaii wildlife guideto learn about mammals actually found on the islands.
Hawaii's Forest Mammals Instead
Hawaii's small number of native land mammals includes the Hawaiian hoary bat, the state's only native mammal besides seals. These bats inhabit forests and open country across all islands, providing ecological roles similar to mainland insectivores. Introduced species now dominate Hawaiian forests, including several types of rats brought accidentally with human settlement. The Polynesian rat arrived with early Hawaiian settlers over a thousand years ago. Later introductions included roof rats and Norway rats via European trading ships. Mongoose populations, introduced to control rats, became pests themselves by preying on native birds. Feral pigs established in Hawaiian forests alter habitats and support invasive plant species. Feral goats graze in upland forests, changing vegetation structure and composition. Small Indian mongooses hunt ground-nesting birds and eggs. Feral cats prey on native birds and small mammals. These introduced species create an ecosystem fundamentally different from the mainland, with no ecological equivalent to flying squirrels. Hawaii's forests lack the large tree-dwelling predators and competitors found on the mainland. The Hawaiian landscape evolved over millions of years in isolation without most mammalian predators. For more on flying squirrel in Hawaii, see ourHawaii flying squirrel guide.
Flying Squirrel Biology and Mainland Range
The Eastern Flying Squirrel inhabits eastern North America from southern Canada through the eastern United States. The Northern Flying Squirrel ranges across northern forests from Canada through the northern tier of states and mountain regions. Flying squirrels are small rodents weighing just two to three ounces, perfectly adapted to arboreal life in temperate and boreal forests. Their signature patagium membrane allows gliding between trees, enabling efficient travel through forest canopies. Flying squirrels require specific forest conditions including large cavity-bearing trees, dense canopy cover, and productive nut crops. They depend on acorns, hickory nuts, and other seeds available in mainland North American forests. Their nocturnal habits and specialized nesting requirements limit their distribution to established forests with old-growth characteristics. Flying squirrels cannot survive in open grasslands, deserts, or tropical forests lacking their preferred food sources. Their entire evolutionary history is tied to North American deciduous and coniferous forests. Temperature ranges they tolerate limit their distribution to temperate latitudes. Tropical Hawaiian islands simply lack the forest structure and food availability flying squirrels need for survival. You can also browseHawaii wildlife.
Hawaii's Unique Forest Ecosystems
Hawaii's native forests developed in complete isolation from the North American mainland, creating ecosystems with no equivalent to flying squirrels or most mammalian predators. Hawaiian forests instead evolved around native birds, insects, and the Hawaiian hoary bat. Wet forests in windward regions of islands support native plant species found nowhere else on Earth. Koa and ohia forests dominated Hawaii's upland regions before human arrival and habitat conversion. These forests developed their own complex ecology without mammals except bats. Native Hawaiian birds including honeycreepers filled ecological niches parallel to mainland songbirds. Forest insects evolved into Hawaiian variants of mainland families. Soil organisms and decomposers followed different evolutionary paths than the mainland. Fern forests and native understory plants dominated Hawaiian forest floors. Native trees did not evolve with squirrels, so their seeds lack specific adaptations related to squirrel behavior. The structure of Hawaiian forests reflects adaptation to tropical climate and isolation rather than temperate-forest conditions. Understanding Hawaii'sunique wildlife arearequires recognizing these evolutionary differences. Introduced mammals have dramatically altered Hawaiian forests from their pre-contact state.
Habitat Requirements Flying Squirrels Cannot Meet in Hawaii
Flying squirrels require cavity-bearing trees for nesting, a condition more common in mature temperate forests than tropical Hawaiian forests. The temperate deciduous trees flying squirrels inhabit, particularly oaks and hickories, do not naturally occur in Hawaii. Pine forests where Northern Flying Squirrels live at high elevations do not exist in Hawaii. The acorn and seed crops that sustain flying squirrel populations depend on seasonal temperate forest cycles with cold winters. Hawaiian tropical forests provide year-round growing seasons that produce fruits and seeds unfamiliar to flying squirrels. The canopy structure of Hawaiian native forests, with softer-wooded native trees, offers fewer cavity nesting options than mainland hardwoods. Flying squirrels' preference for dense canopy allows gliding between adjacent trees, which works in continuous temperate forests but fails in more open tropical canopies. The absence of squirrel-compatible food sources makes Hawaii unsuitable for flying squirrel colonization. High-altitude Hawaiian forests can reach temperatures where mainland flying squirrels do better, but lack the food and nesting habitat. Humidity levels in Hawaiian forests differ from flying squirrel habitat conditions. Flying squirrels' small size and specific physiological needs limit their ability to adapt to Hawaiian conditions. Hawaii's tropical climate would expose flying squirrels to unfamiliar predators and parasites.
Biosecurity and Hawaiian Wildlife Protection
Hawaii maintains some of the strictest biosecurity regulations in the United States to protect native species and prevent additional invasive species introductions. The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources screens all wildlife entering the state. Flying squirrels, like many mainland animals, are prohibited from importation into Hawaii. These laws reflect lessons learned from previous introductions, like mongoose and coqui frogs, which became serious problems. Intentional release of flying squirrels into Hawaiian habitats would be illegal and environmentally destructive. Any accidental arrival, such as through shipping containers, would be addressed by wildlife authorities through removal and quarantine protocols. Hawaii's geographic isolation means most introduced species threaten existing ecosystem stability. Flying squirrels could theoretically compete with native bats and birds for food and nesting sites. Ground-nesting birds and small native species could face predation from flying squirrels. The ecosystem balance achieved after centuries of introduced species would be further disrupted by additional mammalian predators. Hawaii continues working to restore native forests through invasive species control and native plant restoration. Introduction of flying squirrels would undermine these restoration efforts. Understanding Hawaii'swildlife protection needsrequires supporting invasive species prevention.
Similar Species Hawaii Does and Does Not Have
Hawaii's introduced rat species fill some ecological roles similar to flying squirrels, though rats are ground-dwelling or wall-climbing rather than arboreal gliders. The Polynesian rat climbs trees but cannot glide and causes different damage than flying squirrels would. Hawaiian hoary bats fill aerial insectivorous roles flying squirrels do not; bats hunt flying insects flying squirrels never pursue. Flying lemurs, flying snakes, and flying frogs exist on Asian mainland forests but never reached Hawaii. Flying fish, which do glide over ocean surfaces, occasionally strand on Hawaiian beaches but are marine animals. Flying dragons, Asian lizards with gliding membranes, live only in Southeast Asia. No other North American flying squirrels or distant relatives reach Hawaii's islands. Flying phalangers from Australia never occurred in Hawaii. Sugar gliders from Australia, popular in pet trade, remain absent from Hawaii despite illegal importation attempts. Comparing Hawaii to mainland forests reveals how completely flying squirrels dominate mainland canopies in their absence from Hawaii. This absence shaped Hawaiian forest evolution fundamentally differently. The native Hawaiian bird areas evolved to occupy niches flying squirrels fill on the mainland.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Could flying squirrels somehow adapt to Hawaii if introduced? Flying squirrels lack the physiological flexibility to adapt to tropical climates; their specific food requirements and nesting needs cannot be met by Hawaiian forests. Q: Why does Hawaii allow rats and feral pigs but not flying squirrels? Historical accident introduced rats and pigs before biosecurity laws existed; modern regulations prevent new invasive species introductions after learning ecosystem damage lessons. Q: Are there any flying or gliding mammals Hawaii could introduce that would not harm native species? All introduced mammals have caused ecological problems; Hawaii's strategy focuses on removing invasive species, not adding more. Q: What's the closest relative to flying squirrels that might be found in Pacific islands? Flying lemurs and flying dragons occur only in Asian forests; Australia has sugar gliders, but no gliding mammals reached Pacific islands naturally. ExploreHawaii's native wildlife areaand learn why protecting island ecosystems requires preventing mainland species introductions.
Plan your flying squirrel sighting in Hawaii
There are no verified flying squirrel records for Hawaii, which fits how uncommon they are here. See the GBIF records.
Where to look in Hawaii
- Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site · Wildlife Watching · Find hotels
- Haleakalā National Park · Find hotels
More places to see flying squirrel
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