Sugar Glider: New Species Discovered, But With Conservation Implications

A recent study by Charles Darwin University in collaboration with the Australian Museum and the Queensland University of Technology discovered that the sugar glider that was believed to be a single species are three genetically and morphologically distinct species.

"The distinction of these three species has meant a substantially diminished distribution for the sugar glider, making that species vulnerable to large scale habitat destruction," Cremona added. The 2019-2020 bushfires had a devastating effect on the sugar gliders. The recent bushfire has burned down a substantial portion of the species' habitat. Sugar gliders require a home range of 0.5 hectares but are also primarily related to an abundance of food sources. These species are hollow-dwellers and eat a variety of food, thus requiring a diverse habitat.