Northern Glider Petaurus abidi

Northern Glider Petaurus abidi

IUCN Status: Critically Endangered

Location: Papua New Guinea – Torricelli Mountains

The Northern Glider is a Critically Endangered species of gliding #marsupial found only in the Torricelli Mountains of #PapuaNewGuinea. First described in 1981, they remain one of the rarest and least studied members of the Petauridae family. Their population is in steep decline due to deforestation, habitat destruction for #palmoil, and #hunting for #bushmeat. With an estimated range of less than 100 square kilometres, the Northern Glider is at extreme risk of #extinction unless urgent conservation efforts are made to protect their habitat. Take action and resist for this species every time you shop and go #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket.

Appearance and Behaviour

The Northern Glider is a medium-sized gliding mammal and a marsupial with soft, silky fur. Their upper body is grey, with a paler underside and a distinctive dark stripe that runs from their head down their back to the base of their tail. They weigh between 228 and 332 grams and have shorter ears and smaller claws than some of their close relatives. These gliders are nocturnal and arboreal, using the skin flaps between their limbs to glide between trees as they search for food.

Diet

Very little is known about their diet, but they are believed to feed on vines, epiphytic ferns, and leaves from various tropical plants. Like other gliders, they likely play an important role in their ecosystem by aiding seed dispersal.

Reproduction and Mating

Research on the breeding habits of these flying squirrels is limited, but they are presumed to give birth to one or two young at a time, similar to other members of their genus. Further study is needed to understand their reproductive cycles and population trends.

Geographic Range

The Northern Glider is known only from Mount Somoro, and adjacent areas, in the Torricelli Mountains of north-western Papua New Guinea. This species has been found in primary, mid-montane tropical moist forests. They are known from rural gardens close to forest (Flannery 1995).

The Northern Glider is a part of a unique range of gliding mammals. Northern Gliders are endemic to the Torricelli Mountains in northwestern Papua New Guinea. Their total range is estimated to be less than 100 square kilometres, making them highly vulnerable to habitat destruction and fragmentation.

Threats

The Northern Glider is threatened by heavy deforestation due to human encroachment (i.e., conversion to gardens), and by hunting for meat by local people.

IUCN Red list

• Palm oil and Timber Deforestation: Large swathes of their habitat are being cleared for palm oil and timber agriculture and human settlements.
• Hunting: They are hunted for food by local communities, putting additional pressure on their already declining population.
• Habitat Fragmentation: Forest clearing has led to isolated populations, reducing their chances of long-term survival.

Take Action

Protecting forests is critical to ensuring the Northern Glider has a future in the wild. Support conservation efforts and call for stronger protections against palm oil deforestation in Papua New Guinea. Resist and fight for their survival each time you shop #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.

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Support the conservation of this species

This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.

Further Information

Leary, T., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Singadan, R., Menzies, J., Bonaccorso, F., Salas, L., Dickman, C. & Helgen, K. 2016. Petaurus abidi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T16726A21959298. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T16726A21959298.en. Downloaded on 04 February 2021.

Ziegler, A. C. (1981). Petaurus abidi, a new species of glider (Marsupialia: Petauridae) from Papua New Guinea. Australian Mammalogy, 4(2), 81–88. https://doi.org/10.1071/AM81002

Gliding Mammals of the world

Caption: This beautiful painting is by My YM

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