Which Australian marsupial is the world’s largest gliding possum?

The greater glider is the world’s largest gliding possum.

Greater gliders are arboreal marsupials native to eastern Australia. They glide between trees using a membrane of skin, called a patagium, that stretches from the elbow to the ankle. Their large, furry bodies and long tails give them a distinctive silhouette in eucalyptus forests.

The greater glider is primarily nocturnal and feeds mainly on eucalyptus leaves. It usually shelters during the day in tree hollows, which means mature forests are especially important to its survival. Females generally raise one young at a time.

Greater gliders were once treated as a single widespread species, but taxonomic studies have recognized multiple species and distinct lineages. They are threatened by logging, bushfires, and the loss of large hollow-bearing trees, which take many decades to form.