Australia’s largest gliding marsupial may not be the country’s best glider after all.

Scientific measurements from the ANU on southern greater gliders in the wild found the endangered species glides shorter distances and at steeper angles than previously thought.

Lead author Dr Ana Gracanin from the Fenner School of Environment and Society said the findings challenge long-held assumptions about one of Australia’s most iconic native mammals.

“Greater gliders are often said to glide up to 100 metres, but until now nobody had scientifically measured what they can actually do in the wild,” Dr Gracanin said.

“Instead, the longest glide recorded during the study was just under 50 metres, challenging a claim that have been repeated for decades.

The research team measured 41 glides across five forest locations in New South Wales using infrared cameras, thermal imaging and night-time observations.

They found greater gliders launched from an average heigh of 22 metres, travelled an average horizontal distance of 19 metres and descended at an average angle of 43.5 degrees.