Yellow-bellied glider facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yellow-bellied glider |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Petaurus
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| Species: |
australis
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| distribution | |
The yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis) is a special kind of possum that can glide through the air! It lives mostly in trees, which means it is an arboreal animal. It is also nocturnal, meaning it is active at night and sleeps during the day.
These gliders live in the native eucalypt forests along the eastern side of Australia. You can find them all the way from northern Queensland down to Victoria.
Where Yellow-bellied Gliders Live
The yellow-bellied glider makes its home in the forests and woodlands of eastern Australia. They can live in many different places, from areas right next to the ocean up to mountains as high as 1400 metres.
In North Queensland, a special group of these gliders lives high up, over 700 metres above the sea level. There are about 13 different groups of these gliders in three main areas in North Queensland. One group lives on the Mount Windsor Tableland, another on the Mount Carbine Tableland, and a third group lives in a long strip of habitat from Atherton to Kirrama on the Atherton Tableland. Together, these three groups have about 6000 gliders. Because their homes are in danger, the yellow-bellied glider in this area is considered rare and vulnerable. Luckily, this species is more common in southern Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria.
Glider Habits and Sounds
Yellow-bellied gliders are quite social animals. This means they like to live in groups, usually with other members of their family. During the day, they all sleep together in a tree hole that they line with leaves to make it comfy.
These gliders are also known for being very noisy! They are one of the most vocal types of gliding possums. They have a special growling call that they use to talk to each other. You can listen to their unique call here: [1]
What Yellow-bellied Gliders Eat
Yellow-bellied gliders have a varied diet. They enjoy eating sweet things like nectar from flowers and honeydew, which is a sugary liquid made by some insects. They also eat insects, pollen, and a lot of sap from different trees.
