The flying squirrel stamp will be released

On Friday, September 9, Omniva will issue a flying squirrel stamp in the "Estonian Fauna" stamp series.

The stamp is designed by Indrek Ilves and it was printed at the printing house Vaba Maa. The stamp’s print run is 30,000 pieces and its nominal value is 0.9 euros, which is suitable to be sent in Estonia. The stamp, the first-day cover, and the maximum card will be available at the Omniva e-shop and at post offices across Estonia. The first-day stamp is in use in Tallinn, at the Toompea post office, 4 Lossi plats.

This stamp from the stamp series ‘Estonian fauna’ depicts the Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans L.), a rare species, the European habitats of which are limited to Finland, Estonia, Belarus, and Russia. The flying squirrel has a flap of skin on both sides of its body, with which it can glide up to several dozen metres from tree to tree. This elusive animal, mainly active at dusk and night, is rarely seen. In summer, it feeds on tree leaves, and in winter, on the buds and catkins of birches, alders, and aspens. They reproduce once or twice a year, with 2 to 4 young in a litter. The flying squirrel is mainly endangered by the reduction and fragmentation of old mixed forests with old hollow aspens that are suitable for habitats. A critically endangered species in Estonia, it can nowadays only be found in North-East Estonia. The flying squirrel is included in the list of priority species in the European Union’s Nature Directive and the list of category I protected species in Estonia.
 
In 2022, Omniva will release dozens of stamps to celebrate dignified occasions and people in our country and society.