Gliding and Striped Possums: Petauridae

Striped possums live in New Guinea. One species is also found in the rainforest on the northern tip of Australia that is closest to New Guinea. Gliding possums also live in New Guinea and Australia, but are found in a much wider area. They live both on the northern and eastern coast of Australia and on the island of Tasmania.

Gliding and striped possums live in many different types of forests, from dense rainforests to open forests where trees are spread far apart.

Three species in this family are Endangered, facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild: Tate's triok, the mahogany glider, and Leadbeater's possum. Other species, such as the yellow-bellied glider and the squirrel glider are considered Vulnerable, facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. Conservation efforts are underway to identify and protect key habitats of a number of these animals.