While spotlighting for frillies I came across this cute northern glider / Lambalk glider (Petaurus sp.). These gliders occur throughout the woodlands and monsoon forests in the Northern Territory. Usually mammals flee immediately when I spot them, but this little one gazed at me inquisitively for several minutes. Afterwards the glider ran up to the canopy where I observed it for quite a while. Every time I turned off my head torch the glider would scurry down close to where I was standing, sometimes even just two meters away. I was hoping that maybe it would jump on to me, but that’s too good to be true for an animal in the wild… well except for the frillies and some snakes occasionally, but they have different intentions. Definitely a highlight of my experiences in the forest so far!
Photographed after slight disturbance [2] unless otherwise stated
Footage of the northern glider / Lambalk glider (Petaurus sp.). As it happens I found another glider tonight just 45 meters away from where I found the first one the previous night. Because I’ve searched extensively throughout my field site and have only spotted a single glider, I thought there was a good chance it was the same individual. However, after comparing facial markings between photos, it was actually another glider.
As it happens I found another glider tonight just 45 meters away from where I found the first one the previous night. Because I’ve searched extensively throughout my field site and have only spotted a single glider, I thought there was a good chance it was the same individual. However, after comparing facial markings between photos, it was actually another glider.