Sugar Glider
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© Australian Museum
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Petaurus
- Species
- breviceps
- Family
- Petauridae
- Order
- Diprotodontia
- Subclass
- Marsupialia
- Class
- Mammalia
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- 16 cm - 21 cm
Introduction
The Sugar Glider has a membrane extending from its fifth finger to its ankle enabling it to glide up to 50 m between trees.
Identification
In flight, the Sugar Glider it uses its long bushy tail for stability and steering.
Habitat
The Sugar Glider lives in forests and woodlands.
Distribution
The Sugar Glider is found in northern and eastern Australia, including northern Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and south-eastern South Australia.
Other behaviours and adaptations
The Sugar Glider is most active at night, sleeping by day in nests made of leaves in tree hollows. Groups of up to seven adults and their young may form a 'clan' and share a nest. Among their own clan they are playful and social but will defend their territory aggressively and noisily if threatened by other animals or approached by Sugar Gliders from a different clan. Dominant males mark other clan members and the territory around the nest with secretions from scent glands on their chest.
Life history cycle
The Sugar Glider commonly gives birth to twins, which remain in the pouch for just over two months. They then leave the nest to forage for food, usually with their mother.
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