Sugar gliders are small marsupials , and one of several gliding opossums found in Australia, Tasmania, Indonesia and New Guinea. Their scientific name is Petarus breviceps . They have a thin membrane that stretches between their front and rear legs, much like the flying squirrels in North America.
Sugar gliders are nocturnal .
In the wild, sugar gliders live in trees, and rarely, if ever, touch the ground. They nest in holes in old growth trees. When a sugar glider launches itself from a tree, it spreads its limbs. The gliding membranes from its wrists to its ankles open up and slow its descent, much like a parachute. They have been known to glide over 150 feet.