Yellow-bellied Glider Project
Increasing conservation awareness of yellow-bellied gliders and greater gliders in South East Queensland
© Sam Horton
About this project
In August 2020, Wildlife Queensland’s Queensland Glider Network (QGN) launched a new project to research and document the distribution and occurrence of yellow-bellied gliders (Petaurus australis) and southern and central greater gliders (Petauroides volans) in South East Queensland.
Both glider species are threatened with extinction in Australia.
Co-founded by QGN project officers Josh Bowell and Sam Horton, the Yellow-bellied Glider Project aims to increase conservation awareness of these threatened glider species with councils, private landholders, and the general public.
QGN also runs a public awareness campaign to educate and increase support for the conservation of yellow-bellied gliders and greater gliders via:
- social media presence
- workshops and webinars
- school visits and presentations.
© Sam Horton
Yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis).
Research & monitoring
© Josh Bowell
Josh Bowell and volunteers spotlighting for gliders.
The project utilises non-invasive surveying techniques, including GIS predictive mapping, acoustic monitoring and observation surveys to actively search for, record and monitor yellow-bellied glider and greater glider populations.
We also engage with community members and private landholders that reside in suspected yellow-bellied and greater glider habitat in South East Queensland to encourage reporting of local glider sightings and provide opportunities to be involved in monitoring surveys.
Initial survey locations are in the Logan and Ipswich regions where small numbers of yellow-bellied gliders have been observed. The project will later branch out to cover all of South East Queensland.
Thank you to our donors
Thanks to the generous donors who supported our Wildlife Queensland Yellow-Bellied Glider Appeal in 2021, the funds raised are being used to:
- purchase equipment and supplies
- train and manage volunteers
- collect and anlayse data
- find potential properties for further spotlighting and acoustic monitoring
- map locations to figure out family dynamics and territory size
- assess and implement a nest box installation program.
Increasing glider conservation awareness
Watch Wildlife Queensland’s Greater Gliders webinar recording and download Sam Horton and Josh Bowell’s presentation [PDF 2.8MB] to find out more about the Yellow-Bellied Glider Project and how you can get involved to help save the threatened yellow-bellied glider and greater glider.
Get involved
Habitat loss and fragmentation and loss of habitat connectivity to other glider populations due to timber harvesting and land clearing are the main threats to gliders.
It’s not good news for our two largest gliders but we already knew that. That’s why we are out trying to find them, to help conserve habitat. We must help the best we can to give them a chance.
Partners & sponsors
- Hollow Log Homes
- Scenic Rim Regional Council
- Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk