Back in 1941, in the quaint village of Milton nestled in southern New South Wales, a resident claimed to witness an extraordinary scene— a greater glider, one of Australia’s native ‘flying marsupials,’ was said to have gracefully soared through the night, eventually touching down a full 100 meters away.
This intriguing sighting sparked what would become a widespread myth shrouding the abilities of the greater glider, a member of the 10 glider species indigenous to Australia.
“It was actually a case of mistaken identity that persisted over the years,” explained Dr. Ana Gracanin in an interview with SBS News. “There simply isn’t any detailed dataset or concrete empirical evidence to back up that story.”
“What they had really seen was a yellow-bellied glider,” she added.
Determined to set the record straight, Gracanin, a dedicated researcher at the Fenner School of Environment and Society at the Australian National University, embarked on a mission alongside her team to accurately measure the actual glide distance of the greater glider for the very first time.
The southern greater glider, named ‘great’ because of its size, soared an average of only 19.1m, or less than a quarter the distance it was once assumed.
The researchers say their findings have big implications for the conservation of the endangered species.
‘We have a Gary’
Gracanin spent hours in the forest at night with infrared cameras and torches, becoming familiar with the individual gliders and their favourite tree dents.
“My friends have a joke because they all look very similar … whenever there’s a glider, we’d be like ‘It’s Gary! We have a Gary!'”
It’s unclear what the total population of southern greater gliders is, but scientists estimate their population declined by 80 per cent after the Black Summer bushfires.
In 2022, they were listed as an endangered species.
“Often they’re very high up in the canopies, but if you put your binoculars to your eyes you can very quickly tell if it’s a greater glider,” Gracinan said.
“It has huge fluffy ears, a very funny gremlin-y face, and they have a very long fluffy tail … They’re just a big ball of fluff.”
“And if you’re really lucky, you might see a glide.”
Recording data on the southern greater gliders’ movements for the first time, Gracinan and her team found they climbed an average of 22m before launching themselves at a 43.5 degree angle at a nearby tree.
They made it to their destination with an average of 4.7m ground clearance.
“It kind of goes into a Superman pose and has its hands under its chin … like a black furry flying carpet shape that goes through the sky, and the tail is spinning left, right, left to stabilize.”
The longest glide they recorded was 47m. But the average distance was well short of that, at 19.1m.
The distance fell short of the glider record, which was set by a yellow-bellied glider which travelled 145m.
‘Sensitive little guys’
The southern greater glider’s inability to glide long distances puts them at greater risk of becoming isolated from the rest of the population, and of extinction.
“They’re restricted to their little territories, their gliding ability and their diet,” Gracanin said.
They roam forest canopies ranging from northern NSW down to Victoria.
Habitat loss means greater gliders struggle to find mature old-growth trees to nestle in the hollows, which can take years to form.
Meanwhile, sustained hot temperatures from climate-change-induced heatwaves cause greater gliders to lose their appetite.
“They don’t eat for a few days and die of starvation, even though the food is right there,” Gracanin said.
“They’re sensitive little guys, but it’s because they’ve adapted to a really amazing life up in the canopy.”
Researchers say the data will help conservationists plan wildlife corridors, stone habitats and gliding poles that take the gliders’ shorter reach into consideration.
“For gliding poles, for example, we can make sure they’re spaced apart in a way that allows greater gliders to readily use them.”
Although they are hard to spot, Gracanin recommended eager greater glider spotters to visit national parks known for their habitat with patience and a torch held at eye level.
“You’ll see the reflection of their eyes when you hold the light near your eyes,” she said.
“They’re just incredible to behold.”