General Description
Body fur grey with a dark stripe along the middle of the head and along the back. Underparts pale grey to cream. End of tail black with a white tip. Gliding membrane of skin between the elbow and the ankle. Eyes reflect a pale red shine when spotted with a torch. Body up to 20 cm, tail up to 21 cm. Call a distinctive 'yip yip' call that sounds like the yapping of a small dog.
Biology
Krefft's Gliders can glide for 50 m between trees. Young are born between July and August in Victoria. Young are carried on the mother's back until they are able to care for themselves. Krefft's Gliders feed on gums, nectar, pollen and invertebrates. A single species of Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps) was previously thought to occur throughout eastern Australia. However, as of 2020, three species are now recognised, with Krefft's glider the only one to occur in Victoria.
Distribution
Eastern and northern mainland Australia and Tasmania.
Habitat
Open woodlands and forests.
More Information
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Animal Type
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Animal SubType
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Brief Id
A small, nocturnal, tree-dwelling, gliding marsupial with a stripe on head and back and white tail tip. Most easily be recognised by their yapping 'puppy-dog' call.
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Colours
Grey, White
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Maximum Size
20 cm
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Habitats
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Where To Look
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When Active
Nocturnal
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Diet
Omnivore
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Diet Categories
Arthropods, Nectar, Insects
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Endemicity
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Commercial
No
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Conservation Statuses
CITES: Not listed, FFG Threatened List: Not listed, EPBC Act 1999: Not listed, IUCN Red List: Least Concern
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Taxon Name
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Common Name
Krefft's Glider
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Other Names
Sugar Glider
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Kingdom
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Phylum
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Subphylum
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Class
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Superorder
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Order
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Suborder
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Superfamily
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Family
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Genus
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Species Name
notatus