Sugar glider
Short headed flying phalanger
Petaurus breviceps
Where is it found?
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Forests
Diet and foraging method
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Key adaptations
They have large eyes to help them see in the dark as they are nocturnal.
They have a gliding membrane that allows them to glide between trees.
They also have a semi-prehensile tail that they can use to grasp things and also allows them to steer themselves when gliding.
They have a gliding membrane that allows them to glide between trees.
They also have a semi-prehensile tail that they can use to grasp things and also allows them to steer themselves when gliding.
Social organisation
Live in groups of up to 7 adults and their young.
Did you know that...?
They use their claws on their back feet as a comb to keep their fur clean and fluffy.
Taxonomy
Picture credits:
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"Sugies03 hp". Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sugies03_hp.jpg#/media/File:Sugies03_hp.jpg
"Sugarglider hp". Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sugarglider_hp.jpg#/media/File:Sugarglider_hp.jpg
"Petaurus breviceps Gould" by John Gould - "Mammals of Australia", Vol. I Plate 25http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/bioinformatics/mammals/images/Bel_brev.htm. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Petaurus_breviceps_Gould.jpg#/media/File:Petaurus_breviceps_Gould.jpg
"Zuckereichhorn brehm". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zuckereichhorn_brehm.png#/media/File:Zuckereichhorn_brehm.png
"Sugies03 hp". Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sugies03_hp.jpg#/media/File:Sugies03_hp.jpg
"Sugarglider hp". Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sugarglider_hp.jpg#/media/File:Sugarglider_hp.jpg
"Petaurus breviceps Gould" by John Gould - "Mammals of Australia", Vol. I Plate 25http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/bioinformatics/mammals/images/Bel_brev.htm. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Petaurus_breviceps_Gould.jpg#/media/File:Petaurus_breviceps_Gould.jpg
"Zuckereichhorn brehm". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zuckereichhorn_brehm.png#/media/File:Zuckereichhorn_brehm.png
