G. C. Suckling

Abstract

The population ecology of the sugar glider, Petaurus breviceps, was examined during a 31-monthcapture-mark-recapture study in a 20-ha system of remnant native vegetation in farmland. Overallpopulation densities ranged from 6.1 ha- 1 in autumn to 2.9 ha- 1 in summer. However, the variousareas composing the system had different management histories and were found to contain varyingdensities of P. breviceps. Differences in density were most readily explained by differences in abundanceof black wattles, Acacia mearnsii, which provided an important autumn and winter food source. At least75% of animals lived in groups containing up to seven adults from up to four age-classes (usually threemales and four females). There was a single breeding season beginning in late winter or early spring eachyear; at least 80% of female P. breviceps surviving to the breeding season following their birth producedyoung, and almost all adult females in other age classes bred in any year. Of all litters born in the studysite, 81% were twins, and the remainder were of single young. The overall mean litter size was 1.8. Up to50% of all offspring left their group of origin by the beginning of the breeding season following theirbirth, though some older gliders. apparently unattached to any group, also dispersed. A roadside strip offorest, between one and four trees wide, was found to facilitate dispersal into a vacant habitat within thesystem studied.