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Squirrel Glider - profile

Indicative distribution

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Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Petaurus norfolcensis

Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Profile last updated: 07 Sep 2012

Description

Adult Squirrel Gliders have a head and body length of about 20 cm. They have blue-grey to brown-grey fur above, white on the belly and the end third of the tail is black. There is a dark stripe from between the eyes to the mid-back and the tail is soft and bushy averaging about 27 cm in length. Squirrel Gliders are up to twice the size of Sugar Gliders, their facial markings are more distinct and they nest in bowl-shaped, leaf lined nests in tree hollows. Squirrel Gliders are also less vocal than Sugar Gliders.

Distribution

The species is widely though sparsely distributed in eastern Australia, from northern Queensland to western Victoria.

Habitat and ecology

Inhabits mature or old growth Box, Box-Ironbark woodlands and River Red Gum forest west of the Great Dividing Range and Blackbutt-Bloodwood forest with heath understorey in coastal areas.
Prefers mixed species stands with a shrub or Acacia midstorey.
Live in family groups of a single adult male one or more adult females and offspring.
Require abundant tree hollows for refuge and nest sites.
Diet varies seasonally and consists of Acacia gum, eucalypt sap, nectar, honeydew and manna, with invertebrates and pollen providing protein.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Threats

Loss, fragmentation and degradation of habitat.
Loss of hollow-bearing trees.
Loss of flowering understorey and midstorey shrubs in forests.
Individuals can get caught in barbed wire fences while gliding.
Loss of hollow availability due to takeover by feral honeyeabees and exotic birds

Recovery strategies

Priority actions are the specific, practical things that must be done to recover a threatened species, population or ecological community. The Office of Environment and Heritage has identified 9 priority actions to help recover the Squirrel Glider in New South Wales.

Activities to assist this species

Retain den trees and recruitment trees (future hollow-bearing trees).
Retain food resources, particularly sap-feeding trees and understorey feed species such as Acacias and banksias.
Replace top one or two strands of barbed wire on fences with regular wire in and adjacent to habitat.
Retain and protect areas of habitat, particularly mature or oldgrowth forest containing hollow-bearing trees and sap-feeding trees.
In urban and rural areas retain and rehabilitate habitat to maintain or increase the total area of habitat available, reduce edge effects, minimise foraging distances and increase the types of resources available.

Information sources

Davy, S. (1984) Habitat preferences of arboreal marsupials within a coastal forest in southern NSW. Pp. 509-16 in Smith, A.P. and Hume, I.D. (eds.) Possums and Gliders. Surrey Beatty and Sons, Sydney.
Menkhorst, P. and Knight, F. (2001) A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford Uni Press, Melbourne.
Suckling, G.C. (1995) Squirrel Glider Petaurus norfolcensis. Pp. 234-5 in Strahan, R. (ed.) The Mammals of Australia. Reed Books, Chatswood.

CMA	CMA sub-region	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

Border Rivers-Gwydir	Beardy River Hills	Predicted
Border Rivers-Gwydir	Binghi Plateau	Known	None
Border Rivers-Gwydir	Bundarra Downs (Part A)	Known	None
Border Rivers-Gwydir	Bundarra Downs (Part B)	Predicted
Border Rivers-Gwydir	Eastern Nandewars (Part A)	Predicted
Border Rivers-Gwydir	Eastern Nandewars (Part B)	Known	None
Border Rivers-Gwydir	Inverell Basalts	Known	None
Border Rivers-Gwydir	Kaputar	Known	None
Border Rivers-Gwydir	Moredun Volcanics	Known	None
Border Rivers-Gwydir	Nandewar, Northern Complex	Known	None
Border Rivers-Gwydir	Northeast Forest Lands	Predicted
Border Rivers-Gwydir	Northern Basalts	Known	None
Border Rivers-Gwydir	Peel	Known	None
Border Rivers-Gwydir	Severn River Volcanics	Known	None
Border Rivers-Gwydir	Tenterfield Plateau	Known	None
Border Rivers-Gwydir	Tingha Plateau	Known	None
Border Rivers-Gwydir	Yarrowyck-Kentucky Downs	Predicted
Central West	Bathurst	Predicted	None
Central West	Capertee	Predicted	None
Central West	Hill End	Known	None
Central West	Kerrabee	Known	None
Central West	Liverpool Range	Predicted	None
Central West	Lower Slopes	Predicted	None
Central West	Oberon	Predicted	None
Central West	Orange	Known
Central West	Pilliga	Known	None
Central West	Pilliga Outwash	Known
Central West	Talbragar Valley	Known	None
Central West	Upper Slopes	Known	None
Central West	Wollemi	Predicted	None
Hawkesbury-Nepean	Bathurst	Predicted
Hawkesbury-Nepean	Bungonia	Known	None
Hawkesbury-Nepean	Burragorang (Part A)	Known	None
Hawkesbury-Nepean	Capertee (Part A)	Predicted
Hawkesbury-Nepean	Capertee (Part B)	Predicted
Hawkesbury-Nepean	Cumberland	Known	None
Hawkesbury-Nepean	Kanangra	Known	None
Hawkesbury-Nepean	Moss Vale	Known	None
Hawkesbury-Nepean	Pittwater	Known	None
Hawkesbury-Nepean	Wollemi	Known	None
Hawkesbury-Nepean	Yengo	Known	None
Hunter-Central Rivers	Barrington	Known	None
Hunter-Central Rivers	Comboyne Plateau	Known	None
Hunter-Central Rivers	Ellerston	Predicted	None
Hunter-Central Rivers	Hunter	Known	None
Hunter-Central Rivers	Karuah Manning	Known	None
Hunter-Central Rivers	Kerrabee	Known	None
Hunter-Central Rivers	Liverpool Range	Known	None
Hunter-Central Rivers	Macleay Hastings	Known	None
Hunter-Central Rivers	Mummel Escarpment	Predicted	None
Hunter-Central Rivers	Pilliga	Predicted
Hunter-Central Rivers	Tomalla	Known	None
Hunter-Central Rivers	Upper Hunter	Known	None
Hunter-Central Rivers	Walcha Plateau	Predicted	None
Hunter-Central Rivers	Wollemi (Part A)	Known	None
Hunter-Central Rivers	Wollemi (Part B)	Known	None
Hunter-Central Rivers	Wollemi (Part C)	Known	None
Hunter-Central Rivers	Wyong	Known	None
Hunter-Central Rivers	Yengo	Known	None
Lachlan	Crookwell	Predicted	None
Lachlan	Kanangra	Predicted	None
Lachlan	Lower Slopes	Known	None
Lachlan	Murrumbateman	Predicted	None
Lachlan	Oberon	Predicted	None
Lachlan	Orange	Known	None
Lachlan	Upper Slopes	Known	None
Murray	Bondo	Predicted	None
Murray	Lower Slopes	Known	None
Murray	Murray Fans	Known	None
Murray	Upper Slopes	Known	None
Murrumbidgee	Bondo	Known	None
Murrumbidgee	Bondo	Predicted	None
Murrumbidgee	Kybeyan - Gourock	Known	None
Murrumbidgee	Lower Slopes	Known	None
Murrumbidgee	Murrumbateman	Predicted	None
Murrumbidgee	New South Wales Alps (Part A)	Known	None
Murrumbidgee	New South Wales Alps (Part B)	Known	None
Murrumbidgee	Upper Slopes	Known	None
Namoi	Eastern Nandewars	Known
Namoi	Kaputar	Known	None
Namoi	Liverpool Plains (Part A)	Known	None
Namoi	Liverpool Plains (Part B)	Known	None
Namoi	Liverpool Range	Known	None
Namoi	Northern Basalts	Known	None
Namoi	Peel	Known	None
Namoi	Pilliga (Part A)	Known	None
Namoi	Pilliga (Part B)	Known
Namoi	Pilliga Outwash	Known	None
Namoi	Walcha Plateau	Predicted	None
Northern Rivers	Armidale Plateau	Known	None
Northern Rivers	Carrai Plateau	Predicted
Northern Rivers	Cataract	Known	None
Northern Rivers	Chaelundi	Known	None
Northern Rivers	Clarence Lowlands	Known	None
Northern Rivers	Clarence Sandstones	Known	None
Northern Rivers	Coffs Coast & Escarpment	Known	None
Northern Rivers	Comboyne Plateau	Known	None
Northern Rivers	Dalmorton	Known	None
Northern Rivers	Ebor Basalts	Predicted
Northern Rivers	Guy Fawkes	Predicted
Northern Rivers	Macleay Gorges	Known	None
Northern Rivers	Macleay Hastings	Known	None
Northern Rivers	Murwillumbah (Qld - Southeast Hills and Ranges)	Known	None
Northern Rivers	Northeast Forest Lands	Predicted	None
Northern Rivers	Richmond - Tweed (Qld - Scenic Rim) (Part A)	Known	None
Northern Rivers	Rocky River Gorge	Predicted	None
Northern Rivers	Round Mountain	Predicted
Northern Rivers	Stanthorpe Plateau	Known	None
Northern Rivers	Upper Manning	Known	None
Northern Rivers	Walcha Plateau	Predicted	None
Northern Rivers	Washpool	Known	None
Northern Rivers	Wongwibinda Plateau	Predicted
Northern Rivers	Woodenbong	Known	None
Northern Rivers	Yuraygir	Known	None
Southern Rivers	Bateman	Known	None
Southern Rivers	Illawarra	Known	None
Southern Rivers	Jervis	Known	None
Southern Rivers	Kybeyan - Gourock (Part A)	Known	None
Southern Rivers	Monaro (Part C)	Known	None
Southern Rivers	South East Coastal Ranges (Part C)	Known	None
Sydney Metro	Cumberland	Known	None
Sydney Metro	Sydney Cataract	Known	None

Nature conservation

Threatened species