Details
Petaurus breviceps
The sugar glider is a small marsupial that glides between trees on a membrane of skin. At night it searches forest canopies for sap, insects, and nectar.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It inhabits Australasian forest, including eucalypt woodland with tree hollows. Connected canopy is important for movement and gliding.
Length 16-21 cm; weight 90-160 g. A gliding membrane stretches from forelimb to hindlimb, and the long tail helps steer. Grey fur is marked by a dark dorsal stripe.
Nocturnal and colonial, it shelters with group members in tree hollows. It launches from branches and glides with the membrane spread.
An omnivore, it eats sap, nectar, pollen, insects, and small animals. It may chew bark to release tree sap.
Females give birth to tiny young that develop in the pouch. Older young remain in the nest and learn within the group.
It is listed as Least Concern. Loss of old hollow-bearing trees and breaks in canopy can affect local populations.
