The world’s gliding mammals are an extraordinary group of animals that have the ability to glide from tree to tree with seemingly effortless grace. There are more than 60 species of gliding mammals including the flying squirrels from Europe and North America, the scaly-tailed flying squirrels from central Africa and the gliding possums of Australia and New Guinea.
Description: Its upper parts are grey, the fur being tipped with light grey and washed with yellowish-brown, especially toward the
Its ears are not greatly elongated (about
Distribution: Found throughout the New Guinea North Coast Ranges, comprising a section of mountain range approximately 100 kilometres in length and a few tens of kilometres wide, from at least Fas Number 2 village near Mount Menawa in the west, to Mount Sapau in the east.
The species is known at elevations above 300 metres, though it is thought to be rare below 800 metres; most animals occur at an elevation of
Reproduction: Little is known except that a lactating female has been collected in March; another female was carrying a young in her pouch, which was just getting fur on the head and weighed 6.5 grams.
Diet: Specimens have been collected while they were feeding upon figs (Ficus sp.). Captive animals have thrived on guavas, bananas and the fruit of lilly pilly (Syzygium sp.).
Ecology: The Northern Glider has not been studied in any detail to date. The only anecdotal observations include three adult males and two adult females that were found within a tree hollow, which had been enlarged by chewing, in an isolated, senescent tree (locally known as ‘diri’). Captive animals have been heard to make a series of loud growls and shrieks.
Status: Critically Endangered.