Drawing Australian Gliders
Children's book inspired by art and protecting Australia's amazing marsupials
Primary school-aged children can learn about the threatened gliding possums and other Australian animals in a new book called Drawing Australian Gliders. Created by Canberra-based artist Kate Smith and Kate’s ecologist parents, Peter and Judy Smith.
Drawing Australian Gliders book aims to teach children about the habits, history, and interesting facts about threatened species of gliders in Australia such as the Greater Glider, the tiny Feather-tail Glider, and the Sugar Glider. Also, this book provides essential drawing tips and takes the readers on a drawing adventure.
“By combining natural history and art, we hope to foster better awareness and appreciation of these unique and exquisite Australian animals and their magnificent forest habitats,” Dr. Smith said
All of the proceeds from the book’s sales will be put back into the conservation efforts along the Kanangra-Boyd to Wyangala wildlife corridor, an important migration route between the Greater Blue Mountains and Wyangala Dam.
Gliding possums can be found in eucalypt forests and woodlands extensively along Australia’s east coast and ranges, in an area known as the Great Eastern Ranges. The ranges are a 3000 kilometre stretch of land from Victoria through NSW and north Queensland. In NSW, all the gliding possums are protected species.
The Greater Glider, Australia’s largest glider, is vulnerable to extinction under the Australian Government’s threatened species legislation. The Australian Government recently lifted the species’ conservation status to endangered. “The gliders are threatened chiefly by climate change and by clearing and degradation of eucalypt forests and woodlands,” Dr Smith said.
K2W Glideways Petaurus Connections project is supporting the project which is jointly funded by the NSW Government Saving our Species (SOS) program and the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife (FNPW).
