greater glider

marsupial

Also known as: Schoinobates volans

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June 29, 2026

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The greater glider (Schoinobates volans) is a species of marsupial mammal native to eastern Australia. These gliders are known for their ability to "volplane," or glide, from tree to tree, much like flying squirrels. They possess well-developed skin flaps along their flanks that act as sails when their limbs are extended, allowing them to glide distances of 100 meters or more. The greater glider is one of the largest gliding marsupials, reaching up to 105 cm in length. This species has adapted to a diet of leaves and is sometimes classified with ring-tailed possums and the koala in the family Phascolarctidae.1

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marsupial
The gliders have a membrane along either flank, attached to the forelegs and hind legs, that enables these arboreal animals to glide down from a high perch. A few marsupials—such as tree kangaroos, koalas, and some cuscuses—spend most of their lives in trees. The water opossum,…
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The gliders have a membrane along either flank, attached to the forelegs and hind legs, that enables these arboreal animals to glide down from a high perch. A few marsupials—such as tree kangaroos, koalas, and some cuscuses—spend most of their lives in trees. The water opossum,…
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temperate forest
Fauna
…including gliders such as the greater glider (Petaurus volans) and opossums such as the common ringtail (Pseudocheirus peregrinus), which nests in holes, and the well-known koala (Phascolarctos cinerea), which is free-living and feeds mainly or entirely on young tree foliage.
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…including gliders such as the greater glider (Petaurus volans) and opossums such as the common ringtail (Pseudocheirus peregrinus), which nests in holes, and the well-known koala (Phascolarctos cinerea), which is free-living and feeds mainly or entirely on young tree foliage.
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