Cuddling and drama as a live stream shows the secret life of the “ridiculously fluffy” large glider | Mammals

Conservationists are calling them “ridiculously cute” and “captivating” – and now a live stream is giving a global audience the chance to see the life in the hollow of a family of eastern Australia’s largest gliding possums.

The hollow cam broadcast, broadcast live from a tree in southeastern New South Wales, gave animal lovers and reality TV tragedians unlimited glider viewing opportunities.

Australian National University ecologist Dr. Ana Gracanin, installed the livestream – 16 meters above the ground – to draw attention to the plight of the endangered animal.

“Most Australians don’t know the species even exists, so we’re getting a world-first exclusive into the secret life of larger gliders,” she said.

Habitat destruction, including land clearing, deforestation and climate-related bushfires, has led to an 80% decline in large glider populations in some areas in recent decades.

Gracanin said the tree hollow in Tallaganda forest – a stronghold of glider pilots – was one of the best she had ever seen. It was large, spacious and well-lit, she said.

During the testing phase, Gracanin recorded more than 1,000 hours of B-roll of the glider. She said there was occasional drama and affection between the adult couple, who had probably been together for many years.

“They present their head to their partner and wait for a head nurse. They often close their eyes in apparent joy,” she said. “Who doesn’t love a good head scratcher?

“They groom a lot to maintain the fur on their incredibly fluffy bodies and tails. Otherwise it could become quite matted and resemble dreadlocks. Spending time together is important because they can care for each other in hard-to-reach places and it also helps maintain their bond.”

Those who log in to watch the footage can expect plenty of scratching, petting and cuddling between two adult gliders, and maybe even a tomcat peeking out of his mother’s pouch.

The family was regularly at home between dawn and dusk, with activity increasing towards sunset.

WWF-Australia, National Parks Association NSW, Wilderness Australia and Social Justice Advocates of the Sapphire Coast supported the project.

Dr. Kita Ashman, a WWF-Australia conservation scientist who has been working on the larger gliding research in Tallaganda, said the livestream would bring one of Australia’s “most enchanting and least understood animals” to a potential audience of millions worldwide.

“We need the power of people to save the world’s largest gliding marsupial and all of our endangered species. That starts with stronger national environmental laws that close loopholes and actually protect our unique species.”