Greater gliders glide shorter distances than previously assumed, study finds

A new study tracking greater gliders in Australia found they glide an average of 19 metres, far less than the 100 metres suggested in a 1941 paper.

• Researchers tracked 41 flights in New South Wales forests using infrared binoculars, lasers and tape measures, publishing findings in Australian Mammalogy.
• Lead author Dr Ana Gracanin, a conservation biologist at the Australian National University, said the results challenged long-held assumptions about the endangered marsupial's gliding ability.
• The longest glide recorded in the study was just under 50 metres; researchers said the 100-metre claim likely referred to a yellow-bellied glider.
• Dr Benjamin Wagner, an expert at the University of Melbourne not involved in the study, said the findings suggest habitat disturbances may be more severe for the species than previously thought.