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Nest boxes help save Australia's endangered greater gliders

Like Goldilocks, greater gliders have particular tastes. These endangered Australian marsupials require specific temperatures, food, and nesting spots to survive. When the 2019–2020 Australian bushfires destroyed nearly one-third of the greater gliders’ habitat, WWF-Australia, Greening Australia, and the Australian National University got creative to help the sensitive folivores. Together, they developed and installed high-tech nest boxes—called Goldilocks Boxes—designed to perfectly suit the mammals’ needs.

Sleepy hollows

Greater gliders sleep in old trees that have natural hollows. To mimic these arboreal homes, nest boxes are placed on trees about 80 feet off the ground, where the animals spend most of their time.

Not so hot

Greater gliders, which survive solely on eucalyptus leaves, stop eating when they get too hot. But their naturally low fat stores mean they can die after just a few days without food.

Losing forests

Even before Australia’s devastating bushfires, many of the country’s old-growth forests were threatened by logging and climate change— factors that have also contributed to the greater gliders’ decline.

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Goldilocks boxes

A small entrance hole mimics tree hollows and keeps larger animals out.
Three coats of nontoxic fireproof sealer help protect the nest box and its inhabitants from future fires. An additional coat of heat-reflective paint keeps the box cool inside.
Inside the box, scored walls make it easier for other small animals to climb out, preventing them from becoming trapped.
Foil board insulation around three sides and an air gap help the box maintain the correct temperature, allowing the mammal to conserve vital energy.

Composite photo of outside and inside of glider nest box

Home sweet home

Starting in 2022, WWF researchers installed 234 nest boxes across fire-affected forests in East Gippsland and in Tallganda National Park and State Reserve. Motion-sensing cameras revealed that gliders began moving into the boxes within a few weeks—evidence that they’re providing a critical lifeline for the species.