[3][4] The Hodgson's giant flying squirrel is native to the Himalayan region where found in Nepal, Bhutan, southern Xizang (Tibet) in China, and the Indian states of Sikkim, far northern West Bengal and much of Arunachal Pradesh.

[16] Hodgson, who has been called the "father of Indian vertebrate zoology",[8] planned on making a major book covering mammals and birds of Nepal, but to his disappointment it was never published.

However, the illustrations intended for the book, including one showing three Hodgson's giant flying squirrels, are in the collection of London's Natural History Museum.

There is typically no obvious light crown patch,[3][8] but if present it only consists of a yellowish spot that occasionally forms a streak.

This was repeated by others, even authorities with access to museum specimens showing that neither colour pattern is restricted to a specific season.

[8] This confusion was the source of the incorrect reports of "Hodgson's giant flying squirrels" with a light stripe along the mid-back,[8] a claim sometimes still repeated based on the original misunderstanding by Blanford.

[8][21] In addition to its larger average size (although its tail may be shorter) and differences in the skull, the Bhutan giant flying squirrel has flanks that are roughly the same colour as the shoulder patches, it often—but not always—has a light stripe along the mid-back, and it often—but not always—has a distinct pale fulvous or orange–buff band/patch on the crown (making the dark top of the head appear rather like a bandit mask).

[15] This squirrel feeds on fruits (especially nuts, chestnuts and acorns), young leaves, buds, flowers, grass, tree resin and insects.

[17] The total number of Hodgson's giant flying squirrels is thought to be decreasing, but it is found in several protected areas and it is sufficiently widespread to be recognised as least concern by the IUCN.