The West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel faces many threats, from industry, humans and nature itself.

Industry poses perhaps the most devastating potential threat to the West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel.  Logging, Mining, Gas Drilling and Road Building all destroy habitat and can have devastating effects on the WV Northern Flying squirrel. 

Some of the threats from industrialization in areas where the WV Northern Flying Squirrel thrives include:

Loss of Food Supply

Removal of older growth trees will diminish the fungal growth that is present on the forest floor.  Fungal growth, a large part of the squirrel's diet, thrives in the micro-habitats created by the older growth trees.

Fragmentation

Fragmentation of habitat occurs when the forest canopy becomes more open.  This will increase exposure to predators.  Additionally this will limit travel routs thereby leading to population isolation which decreases access to suitable mates and strains available food supply.

Barriers

Roads create absolute barriers to movement.  It is believed that squirrels will not cross roads because traveling on the open ground for any distance exposes them to higher levels of predation.

In addition to the industrial threats, the squirrel also faces many natural threats, including:

Predators

Predators such as owls, raccoons, weasels, coyotes and opossums

Tree Death

Loss of large numbers of older growth trees, due to insect infestation orany other natural means, within the WV Northern Flying Squirrel habitat is of concern because these trees provide food, shelter, travel routes, etc. 

Climate Changes

The West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel is adapted to colder and more severe climatology.  If current weathertrends continue, it is questionable whether or not the squirrel will be able to withstand the ever warming weather. (Click on the thumbnails to the right to see the projected affect of climate changes on the West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrels habitat.)