Why is the sugar glider possum endangered?
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) does not classify the sugar glider, an Australian opossum, as an endangered species. The sugar glider is surprisingly resilient compared to many of its close relatives; it has adapted well to Australia’s changing landscape.StatusThe IUCN red list of endangered species lists the sugar glider as a species of least concern, noting that it is common and widely distributed within its original native habitat.Potential ThreatsIUCN notes that the sugar glider is sensitive to brush fires and that habitat destruction threatens some areas of the its natural range. However, the organization states that there are no serious or imminent threats to the species’ survival.MisconceptionsThe sugar glider is nearly identical to its more delicate relative, the mahogany glider, which is on the endangered species list. This has led to the misconception that sugar gliders themselves are endangered. Habitat destruction for agriculture has claimed mu
