A review of the ecology and conservation of the yellow-bellied glider

The conservation of Australia's wildlife requires detailed knowledge of the ecology of individual species. That knowledge needs to be synthesised from time to time so that a consistent understanding arises and that knowledge gaps are identified. The yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis) is a forest-dependent species of eastern and southern mainland Australia that has been a focal species for research because it occurs in forest subject to logging. In 2022, it became listed by the Australian government as a threatened species throughout its geographic range, highlighting the need for a detailed review of its ecology and conservation requirements. I reviewed 161 articles, which showed that the most frequently covered topics were on its diet and foraging behaviour, habitat and surveys and distribution. A prominent item in its diet is eucalypt sap, which it obtains from a small number of trees in the forest (<= 4% of available trees), and which are incised repeatedly, although periodically, over many years. Yellow-bellied gliders make frequent loud calls at night to advertise territories defended by family groups of two to six individuals. This calling behaviour forms the basis of population monitoring, including recently by using audio-recorders. A paradoxical aspect of yellow-bellied glider ecology is that it is dependent on tree hollows for shelter, but its occurrence is generally not influenced by the abundance of hollow-bearing trees, probably owing to groups occupying large areas of forest (30-80 ha). More important drivers of its occurrence appear to be the availability of certain tree species favoured in sap feeding, a diversity of tree species (including winter-flowering) that provide an array of plant and insect exudates, and substrates for arthropods included in its diet. Threats to the yellow-bellied glider include habitat fragmentation and the recent wildfires that have caused a decline in many populations. Climate change is predicted to lead to widespread contraction in the geographic range. These threats highlight the need to identify multiple climate and wildfire refuges throughout its geographic range to ensure its long-term conservation. Long-term monitoring of these and other locations is needed to guide this conservation.