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Description
Squirrel Gliders are small nocturnal
possum which are considered vulnerable in our area. They have
a fold of skin on each side of their body between their front
and hind limbs which enable them to glide up to 50 metres through
the air between trees.
The average adult squirrel glider is
48cm long including their tail. The squirrel glider is very similar
in appearance to its smaller relative the sugar glider. The squirrel
glider, however, has a longer, more pointed face, longer and narrower
ears and a bushier tail.
Habitat/Ecology
The squirrel glider inhabits dry, sclerophyll
forest and woodland. In NSW, habitat often includes Box Ironbark
forests and woodlands in the west, the River Red Gum forests of
the Murray Valley and the eucalypt forests of the north east.
The squirrel glider lives in family
groups of up to five or six animals. They rest during the day
in cup shaped nests constructed of leaves within tree hollows,
and later become active at night.The family group at Burrumbuttock
was discovered 12 years ago and since then there have been more
and more confirmed sightings. The gliders diet consists of insects,
beetles, caterpillars, as well as various wattle and eucalypt
pollen, nectar and sap.
Threats/Predators
Loss of habitat; much of the box woodland
habitat has been cleared since European settlement and a key part
of the Burrumbuttock project has been the education of the local
community about the loss of such habitat. Nest boxes have been
constructed by the community to create an artificial habitat for
the gliders.
Various intepretative signs have also
been developed and erected in the Wirraminna Environmental Centre.
To view these signs please click on the links below:
squirrel
glider
trees
for future habitat
former
woodlands
Predation; the squirrel gliders have
a number of predators including cats (both domestic and feral),
foxes and owls. Although the predation of the gliders by owls
is part of the natural process, the predation by cats and foxes
is definalty not. Many things can be done to stop this predation
which includes people keeping their cats locked up at night and
also implementing protection zones around places that have had
recent sighting.
Information courtesy of The National
Parks and Wildlife Service and Greening Australia, 2002
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