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How do marsupial gliders travel between trees?

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Red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) — marsupial Red kangaroo (*Macropus rufus*). The home range of this species spans much of Australia's interior, and it is the largest member of the family Macropodidae.

Marsupial gliders travel between trees by volplaning, a form of gravitational gliding that allows them to move through the air rather than simply falling.12

Most of these mammals possess well-developed flaps of skin known as a patagium, which extends along their flanks between the forelimbs and hind limbs. When the animal extends its limbs into a spread-eagle posture, these skin folds unfold to act as sails, increasing the surface area exposed to wind resistance. This increased surface area slows their descent and enables them to glide significant distances—some species can travel 55 to 100 meters or more in a single leap.1345

To navigate during flight, gliders adjust their surface area; for instance, relaxing one side of the patagium allows them to curve their trajectory. Upon reaching a tree, they can land on vertical surfaces by turning the front of their body upward, which stalls their horizontal momentum.2