Sugar Glider - Five Sisters Zoo

A small marsupial, the Sugar Glider takes its name from both the sugary fruits and plants they like to eat and for the membrane that extends along each side of the body. This skin and tendon between front and back legs enables the Sugar Glider to ‘glide’ between tree branches following a focused leap. They use their legs to make adjustments to the angle of the membrane, allowing for turns and controlled ‘flight’, with the tail offering drag. Colouration of a Sugar Glider can vary, with most having grey-toned fur on the upper body, with a black or brown stripe running from head to rump, and a cream or yellow colour on their abdomen.

Facts

Diet: Omnivore; fruits, nectar, pollen, tree sap or gum, some insects and insect larvae, small mammals

Weight: 60-150g

Length: 265-420mm including their tail

Habitat: Australia, New Guinea, other Australasia islands; forest dweller with access to tree hollows for nesting and resting, can survive in multiple forest types and even some garden spaces.

Life span: 4-5 years in the wild, 15 years under human care

Adapted to Survive

  • Gliding membrane for accessing resources and evading predators
  • Able to enter a torpor (hibernation-like) state when food is scarce or the weather turns too cold

Threats

  • Habitat loss and modification, including negative impact of light pollution
  • Wildfires

IUCN Conservation Status

Least Concern

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