Mammal

Broad-toed Feather-tailed Glider

Acrobates frontalis

Also known as Feathertail Glider, Pygmy Gliding Possum, Pygmy Glider, Flying Mouse

Broad-toed feather-tailed gliders are tiny, agile nocturnal marsupials celebrated for their remarkable fringe of stiff, feather-like hairs lining both sides of the tail. They steer gracefully between tree canopies using a narrow membrane called a patagium that extends between their elbows and knees, landing securely on tree trunks with serrated foot pads and specialized toe claws. When winter chill sets in or food supplies dwindle, these communal gliders huddle together in hollows or woven spherical nests and enter daily torpor to conserve precious metabolic energy.

NocturnalArborealGliding

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—observations

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Least ConcernConservation status

Key facts

Diet & preyMoths, Beetles, Lerp Insects

Predators

Barking Owl
Feral Cat
Lace Monitor

ThreatsHabitat loss, clearing of old hollow-bearing trees, and predation by feral cats

HabitatsTemperate and subtropical eucalypt forests and open woodlands

Life span3–5 years in the wild (up to 8 years in captivity)

Classification

FamilyAcrobatidae
SpeciesAcrobates frontalis

Range & activity

Range data is not available yet.

Safe observation

Interaction riskLow

Low
Moderate
High
Very high

Why interaction risk is low: Safe to observe at a normal distance.

Responsible observation

Spotting technique: Use a red-filtered flashlight to scan flowering eucalypt crowns quietly at night without blinding them.
Habitat preservation: Retain old-growth trees and dead hollow-bearing branches where social family groups build leafy communal nests.
Cat control: Keep domestic cats indoors overnight to prevent devastating predation on these ground-level glides.

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