User:Kid Evil 1/Research/WikiNotes/Status
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Sugar Gliders
[edit]Physical Characteristics
[edit]around 16-20 cm in lengthtail almost as long as body & thick as human thumbweighs 90-150 g (3-5.3 oz)fur generally pearl grey with black & cream patches @ base of black/grey earstail tapers only moderatelylast quarter is black, often dark tippedtwin skin membranes called patagium extend from 5th finger of forelimb back to 1st toe of hind footshort, rounded muzzlenorthern forms: brown & smallerpatagium just look flabby when Sugar Glider is @ restmembranes used like wings to glidegliding membranes mainly used to get food resourcessecondary use of membranes: escaping predatorscan glide farther than 50 m (55 yd)steers by curving patagiumuses hind legs to thrust powerfully away from a tree
Habits and Behaviors
[edit]noctournal- adult males mark territory with saliva & scent glands
adult males also mark members of group with scent produced by separate glands on forehead & chestvisitors lacking scent are expelled violentlydominant male mates more frequently with female of group than other males & does most of scent markingcompetition for territory is fierce
Food, Feeding, and Hunting
[edit]main food items are sap of acacias & certain Eucalyptus, nectar, pollen, & arthropods
Birth and Growth
[edit]in more temperate south, breeding starts in mid-winter (June or July)in north, there seems to be no particular breeding season2 young/femaleyoung normally ejected from group territory @ 7-10 months of age
Habitat
[edit]lives anywhere where there are tree hollows & foodadaptable & capable of living in surprisingly small patches of bush
Optional
[edit]predators include foxes & dogslives in groups of up to 7 adults & current season's youngwhen adult member of group dies, it is normally replaced by one of group's offspring if female or outsider if maleyoung sometimes form new groups if an area is vacantnot endangeredprotected by law in Australia
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