Sugar Glider

Sugar Gliders and Krefft's Gliders are protected native wildlife under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) at the federal level, as well as under state wildlife legislation in every Australian jurisdiction; they cannot legally be controlled as pests, killed, harmed, or relocated without a specific government permit. A 2020–2021 taxonomic revision (based on genetic and morphological analysis of more than 300 specimens) split what was formerly all classified as the Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps) into at least three distinct species: the true Sugar Glider (P. breviceps) is now understood to occupy a restricted range along the southeastern coast, while Krefft's Glider (P. notatus) occupies the much wider mainland range that was previously attributed to P. breviceps; both species remain fully protected. Unauthorised harm to protected wildlife carries significant Commonwealth penalties. If a glider is nesting in a roof void or accessing interior spaces, the appropriate response is to contact a licensed wildlife rescue organisation — WIRES NSW (1300 094 737), Wildlife Victoria (1300 094 535), or the RSPCA wildlife service in your state — for advice on humane one-way exclusion devices and habitat management. AEPMA-accredited wildlife-friendly pest controllers may provide exclusion services (sealing entry points, installing one-way gates) that allow gliders to exit but prevent re-entry. Exclusion must occur when gliders are away foraging at night; once all animals have exited, entry points are sealed permanently. This humane approach respects the glider's protected status and ecological role while resolving the conflict.