Feather-tailed Glider
Acrobates pygmaeus
Silhouette: Sarah Werning · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderDiprotodontia (Kangaroos, Possums, Wombats, and Allies)
- FamilyAcrobatidae (Feather-tailed Gliders and Possums)
- GenusAcrobates (Feather-tailed Gliders)
- SpeciesAcrobates pygmaeus (Feather-tailed Glider)
About the Feather-tailed Glider
The feathertail glider (Acrobates pygmaeus), also known as the pygmy gliding possum, pygmy glider, pygmy phalanger, flying phalanger and flying mouse, is a species of marsupial native to eastern Australia. It is the world's smallest gliding mammal and is named for its long feather-shaped tail.
A second species, the broad-toed feathertail glider (Acrobates (Dromicia) frontalis, De Vis 1887) is recognised by some authors based on unpublished genetic studies and cryptic morphological differences in toe and tail characteristics. With this recognition, it is suggested that Acrobates pygmaeus takes the common name narrow-toed feathertail glider.
At just 6.5–8 cm (2.6–3.1 in) in head-and-body length and weighing about 12 g (3⁄8 oz), the feathertail glider is only around the size of a small mouse, and is the world's smallest gliding mammal. The fur is soft and silky, and is a uniform greyish brown on the upper body, and white on the underside. There are rings of dark fur around the eyes, the rhinarium is hairless and deeply cleft, and the ears are moderately large and rounded. The glider also has an unusually large number of whiskers, sprouting from the snout and cheeks, and... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Feather-tailed Glider in Great Otway National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Great Otway National Park
Koala
Phascolarctos cinereus
Eastern Grey Kangaroo
Macropus giganteus
Swamp Wallaby
Wallabia bicolor
Common Ringtail Possum
Pseudocheirus peregrinus
Common Brushtail
Trichosurus vulpecula
Red-necked Wallaby
Notamacropus rufogriseus
Yellow-bellied Glider
Petaurus australis
Inland Sugar Glider
Petaurus notatus
Long-nosed Potoroo
Potorous tridactylus
Eastern Pygmy Possum
Cercartetus nanus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Feather-tailed Glider in Great Otway National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Feather-tailed Glider sighting in Great Otway National Park, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Feather-tailed Glider in Great Otway National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Feather-tailed Glider in Great Otway National Park in our monthly data.