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Question
Hi Betty! I am a college student in a biology course and I have raised 2 gliders in the past. I am in love with the species and chose them as the topic for an oral presentation for class. However, I am required to discuss an adaptation specific to which ever species I choose. I am having a hard time determining if gliders have any adaptations specific to the species. I may need to change my topic. Any insight?  

Answer
Josie,

How exciting that you are doing your presentation on Sugar Gliders!  Gliders have lots of adaptations.  I teach in elementary school, and I talk about the glider adaptations all the time.  We talk about the large eyes to see at night, big ears for hearing, claws for climbing, defense, and hunting, long tail for steering in flight, and so on.  The one thing I don't talk about is the most interesting.  The glider reproduction system is fascinating.  I guess as a college student, you could write about it.  Please do a search to get the specifics, but their reproductive system is very primitive.  A female can actually have three sets of joeys going at once:  one in the womb, one in the pouch, and one out of the pouch and still nursing.  The mother will supply three differet formulas of milk to meet the needs of each baby.  There are other very interesting adaptations that would not be appropriate to discuss here, such as the special adaptation of the male's reproductive body part.  

Please start your research with my website,

nc.sugar.gliders.googlepages.com

then go to links such as Glider University.  I hope this helps.  I'd love to have a copy of your presentation, if you have something written.  Please let me know how it goes.

Good Luck,

Betty