Photo of Animalia: Greater Glider (species: Petauroides volans) (Gaia Guide)

Greater Glider (Petauroides volans)

© David Cook

Barren Grounds Nature Reserve, NSW, Australia. We were walking along the Budderoo Track, which is on the boundary of Barren Grounds and Budderoo National Park, and heard a commotion in the treetops. The next thing we know, a black shape has seemingly plumetted to the ground. It was a Greater Glider, normally nocturnal - it then proceeded to climb up a tree and eventually sat there unmoving. It was then we noticed a second Greater Glider in the next tree - this Greater Glider. We watched this one for a while, and it eventually went down a hollow. What we're surmising here is that it is currently breeding season for possums and gliders and that a mother has ejected last year's young in preparation for a new brood. We've seen a few Greater Gliders at night, but never during the day, and I've never photographed one or even two, so a special sighting.

Captured on 25 Apr 2013

Photograph location coordinates are -34.65739:150.69522.