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The Return of the Flying Squirrel

Laszlo Ilyes/Flickr Creative Commons

If you missed this episode a weeks ago, listen now to learn more about these special mammals.

Humans have long been envious of the flying squirrel.

Skydivers and base jumping enthusiasts have even developed flying suits that mimic the squirrel’s peculiarly square shape. These “wing suits” work to slow the jumpers’ descents and allow them to maneuver through the air – just like flying squirrels. The Smithsonian even tested flying squirrels – built from tiny pieces of steel and fiberglass – in a wind tunnel and found that these mammals can glide up to an astounding 30 miles per hour.

W. Brooks Paternotte took the helm of Irvine Nature Center as executive director in July 2013 and immediately began building on the strong 35-year foundation. Brooks is a Baltimore native who was a teacher, coach, advisor, dean and Head of the Middle School during his 13 years at Boys’ Latin School in Baltimore. He is also an instructor and ambassador of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and is a Leave No Trace Master, as well as an avid outdoorsman and a features writer for FlyLife Magazine.