Sugar glider
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An illustration based on the real animal.
A little discovery to share.
A sugar glider carries leaves to its nest with its tail.
THE REAL WORLD
The real Sugar glider
- Scientific name
- Petaurus breviceps
- Japanese name
- フクロモモンガ
- Group
- Land mammals
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Diprotodontia
- Family
- Petauridae
- Genus
- Petaurus
Where the name “Sugar glider” comes from
Its scientific name is said to mean “short-headed springboard”.
San Diego ZooIt looks like a flying squirrel but is a marsupial; females have a pouch on the belly for raising their young.
It glides by spreading the membrane between its front and hind legs, and can change direction in midair to avoid obstacles.
It is nocturnal and spends the day resting in tree hollows in small groups made up mostly of relatives.
How the Sugar glider lives
In spring and summer, it eats mainly insects such as moths and beetles. In autumn and winter, it eats things such as eucalyptus sap and pollen. It communicates with other gliders using sounds, including a barking call.
University of Michigan Animal Diversity WebSan Diego ZooBasic data
- Size
- Head and body length: 16–20 cm
- Weight
- males about 130 g, females about 90 g
- Active
- At night (nocturnal)
- Diet
- Nectar, sap, insects, plant seeds, and other foods
- Range
- Australia, including Tasmania, and New Guinea
Where the Sugar glider has been recorded
Records: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY 4.0 records, retrieved 2026-11-07). Map: Natural EarthSee the records on GBIF
Watch wild animals from a distance. Do not touch or feed them, and take care of the places where they live.
Names around the world
- 日本語
- フクロモモンガ
- 简体中文
- 蜜袋鼯
- 繁體中文
- 蜜袋鼯
- 한국어
- 유대하늘다람쥐
- Español
- Petauro del azúcar
- Français
- Phalanger volant
- Deutsch
- Kurzkopfgleitbeutler
- Italiano
- Petauro dello zucchero
- العربية
- بوسوم قندي طيار
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Wupih sirsik
- Русский
- Сахарная сумчатая летяга
Names come from Wikidata and iNaturalist records. Where a language has no recorded name, we use the scientific name.
Sources and how we check
- 多摩動物公園 — フクロモモンガChecked: 2026-11-03
- University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web — Petaurus brevicepsChecked: 2026-11-03
- San Diego Zoo — Sugar GliderChecked: 2026-11-05
We check each fact against its source. The illustrations simplify how the real animal looks.
The classification (class, order, family, genus) follows Wikidata records, checked against GBIF. Classifications can change as research goes on.
The basic data are the values given in each source. They vary with how the animal is measured, whether it is male or female, and whether it lives in the wild or in captivity.
This page was translated from the original Japanese with the help of AI.
Report a mistakeWhen you meet the Sugar glider, look for this
- Look for the dark rings around its eyes.
Animals do different things from day to day, so you may not always see this.
San Diego ZooEXHIBIT INFORMATION
Places that keep or show the Sugar glider
Zoos, aquariums and other places whose official websites say they keep or show this animal.
Kanto
Displays can change with the animals’ health and the seasons. Check each facility’s official website before you go.
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