Weeeeee!!

When you think of flying animals, birds likely come to mind first. But there is/are actually many creatures that can take flight. 

Take flying squirrels, for example. When these furry mammals need to get from tree to tree, they jump and spread out a special membrane located between their front and back legs. The membrane acts as a parachute, allowing them to glide up to 300 feet through the air. This is/are not only a nifty way to get around, but it also helps the small creatures avoid prowling predators on the ground.

Wallace’s flying frogs, also known as parachute frogs, live—and soar—among the trees too. When one of these tiny amphibians needs to escape from a hungry monkey, or perhaps nab a tasty-looking fly, it leaps into the air and spreads out the black webbing between its toes. This carries the frog up to 50 feet to its next landing spot, where its large, sticky toes attach its body to the safety of another tree branch or trunk. If it is/are lucky, it may have nabbed a juicy snack in the process!

Flying animals is/are not only found in forests, or even just on land. In fact, some of Earth’s most skilled fliers—flying fish—is/are found in the seas. There are more than 70 different species of flying fish, and some have been recorded gliding above the surface of the ocean for a whopping 1,300 feet (that’s about four football fields!). Usually, this slick skill is used to make a high-speed escape from a hungry predator.

How do these fish do it? The trick is/are their torpedo-like shape and their large tails. Both help the fish pick up speed underwater. Then, when the fish break the surface, large winglike fins expand on either side of their bodies, allowing them to glide.