Sugar Glider and Squirrel Glider

by Anne Bock

These gliders are distributed in separate habitats around Eastern and across Northern Australia. They are the second and third largest of Australia's six gliding possums. They are very similar in appearance and have exactly the same habits.

Australia's gliding possums are descended from early marsupials that were on the continent millions of years ago, so they have been around a long time and this factor should make them more precious to us.

They are inhabitants of forests and as our forests disappear so do the animals. They cannot survive outside forest that consists of old growth trees such as Eucalypt species and Wattle and other species understorey. They need a tree canopy that is continuous and a range of vegetation that will sustain them all year through the different seasons.

These animals are strictly nocturnal and arboreal; they never willingly travel about on the ground. At the close of every day, just after sunset, they emerge from their little hollows and scamper at great speed, (because indeed there may be an Owl or a Kookaburra sitting in wait) up the branches to the treetop. Along the way though, if the tree is in flower, they may pause to lick nectar from the blossoms. They may find insects up here as well. When they reach the top-most branches, and having decided on the target tree, they push off with their legs and spread all limbs so that the gliding membrane between the front and back legs is stretched and acts like a little parachute. As they sail off, they steer using the tail and limbs. They can glide 160ft. easily as long as the tree is tall enough. Their amazing gliding ability is something to see, keeping their eyes on the chosen target tree, split second calculation has them steering unerringly around obstacles such as branches, momentum allowing them to swoop upwards a little to land with all four feet in place ready to scamper straightaway up the tree and off to the next. Once again, if the tree is in bloom, a delicious feast waits for them. This sweet nectar is the reason for the common name! They absolutely love this natural nectar; they also gain pollen from this exercise and perhaps distribute some pollen via their fur.

An important factor regarding the dependence of these possums on the trees is that it is like a lot of things in the natural world, a two-way situation. Because they eat enormous numbers of insects, they keep under control insects that out of control could be damaging to the trees. They especially need this protein during their breeding season. They eat exudations from insects as well. They also love the sap that oozes from incisions made in the bark of some trees.

Gliders den together in hollows of old trees, nearly always Eucalypt species. Up to ten individuals may share a nest. Denning together has the advantage of warmth in cold weather and like a lot of other animal species mutual grooming is another advantage. Being nocturnal they must be tucked away in their little dens well before daylight.

These exquisite little sprites of the forest will be lost forever if old growth forests are destroyed. Unfortunately this is happening in many parts of the continent. Hollows, which are created by termites invading a dead or broken limb, don't fully develop until a tree is over 100 years old, some estimates being over 200 years old. The destruction of such trees means gliders have nowhere else to go. They cannot sleep in the open like birds.

The Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps) and the Squirrel Glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) are very similar in appearance but close inspection shows the Squirrel Glider although almost twice as big as the Sugar Glider and still very small, is a little darker in colour and its tail is longer, wider at the base and tapers to a finer point and is always black on the end. The Squirrel Glider's muzzle is somewhat sharper but both have the distinctive black stripe from the forehead area to down the back. Both are fine-boned and extremely lightweight and this enables them to race up vertical trees so fast and glide such distances easily.

The common name of the Sugar Glider came about because of its liking for nectar and the Squirrel Glider's common name presumably because it seemed to resemble the Northern Hemisphere Squirrel. But these gliders are marsupials and give birth to live young in an immature state. Immediately after birth the young one makes its way through the mother's fur to the pouch on her belly and achieves maturity after some weeks.

In their little leaf-lined nests they groom each other and care for the young ones, always collecting new leaves for their nests from surrounding branches. They have an unexpectedly weird warning sound and this comes, as something of a shock from such an angelic looking creature, but maybe sometimes it is a lifesaver!

If those who do not care about what happens to Australia's native vegetation could sometimes witness the departure each night of the nocturnal animals such as gliders, on their foraging trips, maybe they would think more carefully about the situation. To be a watcher just on dusk and see a colony of maybe 5 or 6 or 7 gliders leave their nest hollow, race for the tops of trees with dare it be said, a zest for living, and then, silhouetted by a recently risen full moon, power off into the darkness, zat, zat, zat, is to be entranced and is a sight to be treasured. They are curious about any watchers if they spot them, sometimes pausing if the landing site is not too high, to stare down and perhaps make sure there is no danger. These animals are a pure delight. All species of gliders are under threat, some more than others, when a species has more specific needs.

Sugar Gliders are found mainly in the higher forested regions and Squirrel Gliders in the lowland coastal bush areas. Since Greater Brisbane is situated in the lower regions, it is the Squirrel Glider mainly found here. Bushland in metropolitan areas is becoming very fragmented due to development. Colonies of gliders that have managed to survive in remnant habitat in cities such as Brisbane are particularly under threat because these remnant habitats are continually at risk of being fragmented. It then only takes fire or drought to make their existence even more tenuous.

Those in governments creating policy and holding the purse strings should be more aware of the uniqueness of Australia's native vegetation and wildlife and appreciate that it is vital to preserve what is left.

In Australia it is illegal to keep native animals as pets. People are trained to care for sick or injured animals however, until they can be released to their own habitat in the wild. Listed below are some food suggestions for Gliders:

Fresh Fruit, for example, Grapes, Mango, Papaya, Mandarin, Cantaloupe
Try cooked potatoes, broccoli, celery
Fresh cucumber, Almonds, Pumpkin seeds
Always wash fruit well to remove any traces of chemicals.
Occasionally, Honey and Peanut Butter in small amounts.
A mixture can be made up consisting of
- 1 hard-boiled egg yolk,
- 1 tablespoon Heinz Baby Peaches & Pears or Apricots
- 1 tablespoon mashed Avocado
- 1 tablespoon Honey or Pure Maple Syrup, not corn syrup
- 1 Heaped tablespoon High Protein Baby Cereal
- cup warm water
Mash the egg yolk with the fruit and syrup
Add the cereal with the warm water.
A glider may need about 1 tablespoon of this mixture every night.
Flowers producing a lot of nectar could be tried. In Australia, Gliders favour Eucalypt species, Melaleuca sp. Callistemon and Grevilleas.

Gliders are susceptible to cold. They need a little Doona of their own. If fresh green leaves are left nearby they might take leaves to this nest. When they intend to carry leaves the tail curls up and they carry the leaves there.