Credit: WWF-Australia
On National Threatened Species Day (7 September), some news we can all celebrate—the world's most famous endangered greater gliders are parents again, with a new joey seen for the first time just three days ago.
Mom Pip and Dad Milo have fans across the globe thanks to a livestream broadcasting 24/7 from their hollow in a secret location in Tallaganda, NSW.
The livestream was set up by Australian National University scientist Dr. Ana Gracanin, with support from the World Wide Fund for Nature Australia, to learn more about the world's largest gliding marsupial and promote the conservation of forests and threatened species.
Since the mid-80s, the abundance of threatened and near-threatened species declined by about 60% in Australia. Logging continues to devastate critical habitats, pushing at least 150 threatened species in NSW closer to extinction, including greater gliders, koalas, glossy black cockatoos, powerful owls, masked owls, long-footed potoroos, and long-nosed potoroos.
WWF-Australia is calling for the NSW Government to immediately declare the full Great Koala National Park and announce an end to native forest logging.
People from Australia, United Kingdom, United States, Germany, Canada, New Zealand, Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, and Italy have tuned in to the livestream.
The joey first popped its head out of Pip's pouch on 4 September 2025. Credit: WWF-Australia
In early August, while watching the broadcast Dr. Gracanin noticed Pip's pouch moving and bulging indicating there was a joey inside. Then on 4 September 2025, the joey poked its head out of the pouch for the first time.
Typically, a joey remains in the pouch for about four months and gradually becomes independent by about 10 months of age.
Dr. Gracanin, Research Fellow, ANU, said, "It's wonderful to see Pip raising another joey—her third in a row since I began monitoring this tree hollow. That's a strong sign she has the food and secure shelter she needs each year to breed successfully. Tallaganda supports a significantly large population of greater gliders, and protecting this habitat is vital if we want these populations to grow and remain resilient.
"Through the livestream we've learned so much about glider behavior and social life. Pip and Milo's last joey, Brimi, stayed with them for more than 12 months since birth, and this giant ancient tree had enough space for all of them. In other parts of Tallaganda we've even seen four or five gliders sharing a single hollow—popping out one after the other at sunset, like clowns from a clown car.
"It's amusing but also extraordinary, because greater gliders were long thought to be mostly solitary across most of their range. Whether these large groups of gliders are offspring staying on year after year, or if they are unrelated individuals, we don't yet know—but it shows how much we are still learning about this cryptic, endangered species. Large hollows in large old trees are absolutely essential for their survival, and they can play a role in supporting multiple individuals.
"Watching Brimi grow up has been extraordinary—we've seen a side of gliders we'd never glimpse any other way. The level of detail we've captured on how they grow, learn, socialize, groom and how joeys are raised, is extraordinary. It's also been invaluable for science, giving us the first data of this kind on this species. Seeing Pip raise another joey gives me real hope that, if we protect their forests, greater gliders have a future."
First Brimi poked its head out of Pip’s pouch before climbing on to her back on 2 October 2024. By mid-November Brimi had grown considerably. Credit: WWF-Australia
Dr. Kita Ashman, conservation scientist with WWF-Australia said, "Every birth of an endangered greater glider is a reason to rejoice because their numbers have crashed by as much as 80% in some places.
"Native forest logging of greater glider habitat in state forests is one of the causes of their decline.
"Both Victoria and Western Australia have ended native forest logging in state forests. It's time for NSW to do the same. Forestry Corp's native forest logging operation loses millions of dollars.
"Our forests are worth more standing—as places of wonder, as threatened species habitat, and as carbon stores to fight climate change."
WWF has launched a petition calling for an end to native forest logging and a fair and just transition to a sustainable plantation timber industry: .
Provided by WWF-Australia