Animals That Glide Without Wings 

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20 September 2024

From flying squirrels to Draco lizards, here are a few animals that fly in surprising ways 

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Flying squirrels don't really fly. Instead, they are able to glide thanks to the membrane between their front and back legs that acts like a parachute

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The colugo, sometimes referred to as the flying lemur, can glide for 100 metres or more between trees, making it one of the most skilled gliding mammal

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The paradise tree snake can glide by flattening and stiffening its body while held in an S-shape, per the National History Museum 

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Kuhl's parachute geckos, also known as flying geckos, have flaps on either side of their body, plus webbed feet and a flat tail that helps them to glide over short distances

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The freshwater butterfly fish use their pectoral fins to propel themselves to the surface and capture the insects

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Flying fish propels itself out of the water using rapid tail movements, then spreads pectoral fins to glide over the ocean surface 

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The Japanese flying squid can leap out of the water and glide by spreading their fins and jetting water from their funnel, a method used for travel and evasion

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The small draco lizard has elongated ribs which extend and retract as needed, and between the ribs is a fold of skin which acts as wings when unfolded

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Also known as parachute frogs, Wallace's flying frogs use their webbed feet to glide between trees or to the ground and can travel up to 15 metres this way

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 ndtv.com