The Greater Glider is the largest of Australia’s
gliding possums; head and body length is 35 - 45 cm. It’s
weight 900 - 1700gram. The tail is longer than the body at 45-60cm
and very bushy. It is entirely silent.
Breeding takes place from March till June,
females produce one young that stays in the pouch for 3 - 4 months,
after that the young will travel on mums back, for a further 3
months. They become independent at 9 months, but do not reach
sexual maturity and breed until they are 2 years old.
The colour can vary greatly from dark chocolate
brown to almost white. This is not dependant on area, different
colours can occur within the same area. This glider lives in eucalypt
forests, ranging from low open forest on the coast, low woodland
west of the Dividing range to tall eucalypt forest in the ranges;
it does not live in rainforest areas.
The Greater Glider is strictly nocturnal,
sleeping during daylight hours high up in tree hollows. It is
not fast on the ground, it moves with a loping clumsy gait, but
once in a tree it is extremely agile. It feeds like the Koala,
entirely on eucalypt leaves, the species of eucalypt vary greatly,
but in one area it will only feed on one or two species.
Like the ringtail possum and Koala it can
grip on to a branch by opposing the first two toes of the forefoot
to the other three, creating a pincer like grip. When gliding
from tree to tree it flexes at the elbow and brings the paws under
the chin, as the patagium (gliding membrane) extends only to the
elbow, and not the wrist like most other gliders. It can cover
a horizontal distance of up to 100 meters, and can change direction
of up to 90 degrees whilst gliding, using the long tail to steer,
and altering the curvature of the gliding membrane on either side
of its body.