Sugar Glider

Petaurus breviceps

Identification:

Body length 170 mm; tail length 190 mm; weight 130 g. Rat-sized body; soft grey fur with black stripe along middle of head and body. Tail thick as, or slightly thicker than, a human thumb, usually with white tip.

Habitat and Range:

Wetter or higher altitude forests or rainforest remnants. Common in restricted range including D’Aguilar Range, Mount Tamborine Jimboomba, Redland Bay, Capalaba, Rochedale and Algester. Coastal northern, eastern and south-eastern Australia and Tas.

Notes:

Nocturnal. Feeds on wattle exudates, gum sap, nectar and insects. Lives in groups of up to 10 and nests in tree hollows. Similar to Squirrel Glider but smaller and often with a white tail-tip

Threats:

Cats (which usually leave tail uneaten) and clearing of wattles.

Traces:

Loud yip-yip-yip. Droppings are blackish, pointed at one end and sometimes joined by hairs (12 mm long by 4 mm wide).

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