Yellow-bellied Glider
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| Petaurus australis Shaw, 1791 |
The Yellow-bellied Glider (Petaurus australis), also known as the Fluffy Glider, is about the size of a rabbit, and has a grey-brown back and is off-white to orange underneath, with large pointed ears and a long tail.[3]
The Yellow-bellied Glider is the largest species of Petaurus, and can glide up to 150 metres.[4]
It is similar in appearance to the Mahogany Glider, although slightly larger in size, and also similar in appearance to the Greater Glider.[5]
The Yellow-bellied Glider is gregarious and spends the day in a leaf-lined tree hole, which is usually shared with other Yellow-bellied Gliders.
Although the Yellow-bellied Glider has a narrow range down eastern Australia, reaching from northern Queensland to Victoria, it's status is classified as uncommon to rare, and it is vulnerable in the topics.
The Yellow-belled Glider's diet consists of nectar, honeydew, insects, pollen and Eucalyptus sap (which is obtained by the Yellow-bellied Glider biting a 'V' shape wedge into the bark to promote the flow of gum and sap).[6]
Breeding occurs in spring in the south, but throughout the year in the north.
There are two subspecies:
- P. a. australis in the south (which is locally common)
- P. a. reginae in northern Queensland (which is rare and threatened with logging)
[edit] Threats
Barbed-wire fences and felling of old nest trees.[7]
[edit] References
- ^ Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 54-55. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.
- ^ Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group (1996). Petaurus australis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 2006-11-21.
- ^ Cronin, Leonard and Westmacott, Marion (illustrator) (1991). Key Guide to Australian Mammals. Reed Books Pty. Ltd., pp. 64-65. ISBN 0-7301-03552.
- ^ Jones, Cath & Parish, Steve. Field Guide to Australian Mammals. Steve Parish Publishing Pty. Ltd., pp. 86, 88. ISBN 1-74021-743-8.
- ^ Menkhorst, Peter and Knight, Frank (2001). A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford University Press, pp. 94-95. ISBN 0-19-550870-X.
- ^ Strahan, Ronald (1995). A Photographic Guide to Mammals of Australia. The Australian Museum, New Holland (Publishers) Ltd., p. 58. ISBN 1-85368-583-6.
- ^ Ryan, Michelle (General Editor), and Burwell, Chris (Scientific Editor): Wildlife of Tropical North Queensland. Queensland Museum, p.338. ISBN 0-7242-9349-3.
[edit] External links
- Yellow-bellied Glider - Healesville Sanctuary
- Yellow-bellied Glider - Threatened species - Government of New South Wales website
- Yellow-bellied Glider - Vulnerable species - NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
- Yellow-bellied Glider - Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland
- Yellow-bellied Glider - Museum Victoria
- Yellow-bellied Glider - Recovery plan - NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (.pdf file — file is 32 pages long)
