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{{Taxobox
| name = Squirrel glider<ref name=MSW3>{{MSW3 Groves|pages=55}}</ref>
| image = Petaurus norfolcensis - Gould.jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = iucn3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=iucn>{{IUCN2008|assessors=Winter, J., Lunney, D., Denny, M., Burnett, S. & Menkhorst, P.|year=2008|id=16728|title=Petaurus norfolcensis|downloaded=28 December 2008}} Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern</ref>
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[Mammal]]ia
| infraclassis = [[Marsupialia]]
| ordo = [[Diprotodontia]]
| familia = [[Petauridae]]
| genus = ''[[Petaurus]]''
| species = '''''P. norfolcensis'''''
| binomial = ''Petaurus norfolcensis''
| binomial_authority = ([[Robert Kerr (writer)|Kerr]], 1792)
| range_map = Squirrel Glider area.png
| range_map_caption = Squirrel glider range
}}

The '''squirrel glider''' (''Petaurus norfolcensis'') is a nocturnal<ref>[http://thewebsiteofeverything.com/animals/mammals/Diprotodontia/Petauridae/Petaurus/Petaurus-norfolcensis.html Petaurus]</ref> gliding possum,<ref>[http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/animals/GlidingPossums.htm Gliding Possums] — Environment, New South Wales Government</ref> one of the wrist-winged gliders of the genus ''[[Petaurus]]''.

==Habitat==
This species' home range extends from Bordertown near the South Australian/Victorian Border through south-eastern Australia to northern Queensland. This species was thought to be extinct in South Australia since 1939 until a genetic test confirmed their presence in the area.<ref name="environment.sa.gov.au">http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/biodiversity/southeast-bcp/pdfs/gliders.pdf</ref>

The squirrel glider lives in dry sclerophyll forest and woodlands in south-eastern Australia. In Queensland, however, they occupy a wetter eucalypt forest.<ref name="environment.sa.gov.au"/>

The glider sleeps in a leaf-lined den in a hollow tree. It usually lives in groups of one male, 2 females, and offspring.<ref name="thewebsiteofeverything.com">http://thewebsiteofeverything.com/animals/mammals/Diprotodontia/Petauridae/Petaurus/Petaurus-norfolcensis.html</ref>

==Appearance==
Like most of the wrist-winged gliders, the squirrel glider is endemic to Australia. It is about twice the size of the related [[sugar glider]] (''P. breviceps''). Its body is 18–23 cm long and its tail measures at 22–33 cm long.<ref name="environment.sa.gov.au"/> It weighs about 230g or 0.5 lbs.<ref name="thewebsiteofeverything.com"/> They have blue-grey or brown-grey fur on their back and a white belly. The end of their tail is black and they have a black stripe from their eyes to the mid-back.<ref name="environment.sa.gov.au"/> They have a flying membrane that extends from their 5th front toe to the back of their foot on both sides. When they glide their prehensile tail can act as a rudder, allowing them to steer which direction they want to go.<ref name="animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu">http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Petaurus_norfolcensis.html</ref> They can glide up to 50m from tree to tree.<ref name="thewebsiteofeverything.com"/> They tend not to glide in captivity.

==Reproduction==
The breeding season is between June and January. The gestation/pregnancy of a female is 18 days.<ref name="animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu"/> The litter sizes are usually one to two offspring a year.<ref name="thewebsiteofeverything.com"/> The offspring will immediately crawl to the mother's marsupium ([[Pouch|pouch]]) and anchor itself to a teat where it will stay for about 3 months.<ref name="animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu"/><ref>http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/environment/plants-animals/threatened-species/squirrel-glider</ref> The mother will wean off her offspring around 4 months were they stay in the den. The offspring become independent at 10 months and go off on their own. The life expectancy is 4–6 years.<ref name="thewebsiteofeverything.com"/>

==Diet==
The squirrel glider eats mostly fruit and insects.<ref>Menkhorst, P. and Knight, F. (2001). ''A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia''. Oxford University Press (pp. 94-95). ISBN 0-19-550870-X</ref><ref>''Wildlife of Tropical North Queensland'' (First printed in 2000). Queensland Museum Publication (p. 337). ISBN 0-7242-9349-3</ref> It also feeds on tree sap, mainly ''Eucalypt'' or ''Red Bloodwood'' trees. In order to get the sap the squirrel glider will pierce the trunk of the tree causing sap to flow out of it. It also eats pollen, nectar, leaves, and bark.<ref name="thewebsiteofeverything.com"/><ref>http://www4.gu.edu.au:8080/adt-root/uploads/approved/adt-QGU20030228.142139/public/01Front.pdf</ref>

==Predators==
[[File:Squirrel-Glider-at-Lone-Pine.jpg|thumb|left|Squirrel glider]]
The species is threatened by humans clearing and breaking up their habitats. It also has predators of dogs, cats, foxes, and owls. This causes the species to be put on the Near Threatened list, meaning it is close to being a threatened species.<ref name="thewebsiteofeverything.com"/><ref>http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/16728/0</ref>

==Phylogeny==
The squirrel glider's closest relatives come from the same genus, Petaurus and they include the sugar glider (''P. breviceps''), mahogany glider (''P. gracilis''), northern glider (''P. abidi''), biak glider (''P. biacensis'') and yellow-bellied glider (''P. australis''). It is not yet known which species the gliders diverged from. The squirrel glider most likely evolved from a marsupial like a possum that had membranes for gliding. Other animals that have this same ancestor include Striped possum and Leadbeaters possum.

==Analogous structures==
Squirrel gliders are often mistaken for flying squirrels of North America. These two species aren’t related at all. The flying squirrel is a placental mammal and the squirrel glider is a marsupial like koalas and kangaroos. Both have an adaptation for tree living – Patagia. This is the skin that extends from their front to hind legs allowing them to glide between the trees avoiding predators they might come into contact with on the ground. Because these animals are distantly related we call these characteristics analogous.

==Homologous structures==
Squirrel gliders are able to curl their tails around branches to hold on. This feature is homologous to the ring tail possum (order of Diprodontia) which use their tail as an extra limb to grab hold of trees. It is longer but the squirrel gliders tail is bushier.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* Cronin, Leonard — "''Key Guide to Australian Mammals''", published by Reed Books Pty. Ltd., Sydney, 1991 ISBN 0 7301 03552
* van der Beld, John — "''Nature of Australia — A portrait of the island continent''", co-published by William Collins Pty. Ltd. and ABC Enterprises for the Australian Boadcasting Corporation, Sydney, 1988 (revised edition 1992), ISBN 0 7333 0241 6
* Russell, Rupert — "''Spotlight on Possums''", published by University of Queensland Press, St. Lucia, Queensland, 1980, ISBN 0 7022 14787
* Troughton, Ellis — "''Furred Animals of Australia''", published by Angus and Robertson (Publishers) Pty. Ltd, Sydney, in 1941 (revised edition 1973), ISBN 0 207 12256 3
* Morcombe, Michael & Irene — "''Mammals of Australia''", published by Australian Universities Press Pty. Ltd, Sydney, 1974, ISBN 0 7249 00179
* Ride, W. D. L. — "''A Guide to the Native Mammals of Australia''", published by Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1970, ISBN 19 550252 3
* Serventy, Vincent — "''Wildlife of Australia''", published by Thomas Nelson (Australia) Ltd., Melbourne, 1968 (revised edition 1977), ISBN 0 17 005168 4
* Serventy, Vincent (editor) — "''Australia's Wildlife Heritage''", published by Paul Hamlyn Pty. Ltd., Sydney, 1975</ref> of the [[marsupial]] [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Petauridae]].

==External links==
*[http://www.wildlife.org.au/wildlife.php?page=w-gliders1.html Gliders in the Spotlight] — [[Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland]]
*[http://www.marsupialsociety.org/squirrel_glider.html Keeping squirrel gliders in captivity] (Marsupial Society)
*[http://www6.semo.edu/biograd/Theses/Liz%20Flaherty%20Thesis.pdf Elizabeth Ann Flaherty: Locomotor performance and cost of transport in the squirrel glider, Petaurus Norfolcensis (Petauridae) (pdf)]

{{Diprotodontia|P.1}}

[[Category:Gliding possums]]

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