Rl. Goldingay et al., Spatial variability in the social organisation of the yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis) near Ravenshoe, north Queensland, AUST J ZOOL, 49(4), 2001, pp. 397-409
A detailed study was conducted over a 12-month period of 10 yellow-bellied
glider groups at Nitchaga Creek in north Queensland. Adult gliders were sex
ually dimorphic in body size and were characterised by yellow ventral fur,
which is consistent with southern populations. Gliders lived in groups of 3
-6 individuals that occupied exclusive areas of about 50 ha. The structure
of glider groups varied enormously: five contained one adult pair, three co
ntained one adult male and 2-3 adult females, and two initially contained 2
-3 adult males and one adult female but then persisted as bachelor groups a
fter the death or disappearance of the adult female. Group size changed dur
ing the year as offspring matured and as individuals died. One male glider
dispersed about 1 km from its natal home-range and became the dominant male
in a nearby group. Young were born throughout the year, with a peak in the
number of pouch-young in June. This study has confirmed the highly variabl
e social system of the yellow-bellied glider, which appears to be mediated
by local resource abundance.