Petaurus breviceps

Sugar Glider at Bannaby, NSW

Petaurus breviceps at Bannaby, NSW - 27 Aug 2024
Petaurus breviceps at Bannaby, NSW - 27 Aug 2024
Petaurus breviceps at Bannaby, NSW - 27 Aug 2024
Petaurus breviceps at Bannaby, NSW - 27 Aug 2024
Request use of media

Identification history

Petaurus breviceps 28 Aug 2024 DonFletcher
Petaurus norfolcensis 27 Aug 2024 CarbonAI
Petaurus sp. 27 Aug 2024 Lissanthe

Identify this sighting


Please Login or Register to identify this sighting.

4 comments

BelindaWilson wrote:
   28 Aug 2024
From Menkhorst & Knight Field Guide to Mammals of Australia: [compared to sugar glider] "Squirrel glider is larger, especially in the south; has clear white underparts, tail never tipped white; tail fur long, flouncy; muzzle longer; slightly pointed."

@DonFletcher to my eyes it more closely matches the squirrel glider except for the prominent white tip on the tail. This location would be at the southern-most part of the squirrel glider's range as well (except for the patch that extends across the NSW/VIC border to the west). Is it more likely to be a sugar glider then?
PEDENL wrote:
   28 Aug 2024
Hi Belinda and Don, do you think it is most likely to be a Squirrel Glider then? I am in Bannaby area and there are records in the area. Thank you
DonFletcher wrote:
   28 Aug 2024
HI @BelindaWilson and @PEDENL , sorry sorry, I made a stupid mistake. The white tail tip guarantees it is P. breviceps (Sugar) or P. notatus (Krefft's). Krefft's has been recognised relatively recently and, so far, can be distinguished from P. breviceps only by DNA or location. Ones east of the Great Dividing Range are being called Krefft's and ones to the west, Sugars. This location is to the east, hence Sugar.
Lissanthe wrote:
   29 Aug 2024
Thank you very much Don, I have another glider, same area, no white tip on tail. I will try to attach a photo here. Thanks

Please Login or Register to comment.

Location information

Sighting information

Additional information

  • Unknown Gender
  • Alive / healthy Animal health

Species information

  • Petaurus breviceps Scientific name
  • Sugar Glider Common name
  • Not Sensitive
  • Local native
  • Non-invasive or negligible
  • Up to 802m Recorded at altitude
  • Machine learning

Record quality

  • Images or audio
  • More than one media file
  • Verified by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
  • GPS evidence of location
  • Description
  • Additional attributes
1,894,611 sightings of 21,075 species in 9,303 locations from 12,926 contributors
CCA 3.0 | privacy
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this land and acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.