Australia is home to its fair share of adorable and fascinating animals, but did you know the Wombat is one of them?
An unusual feature of the Wombat is that has a backwards facing pouch so that when they are nursing young in their pouch they can still dig burrows and not fill their pouch with soil!
A Wombat munching on grass
Wombats are generally slow movers however they can run quickly if required. Their best form of defence though is when they are in their burrow. Here if they are cornered they can crush their would be predator/attacker underground using a large solid plate in their backside against the roof of their burrow.
Wombat description
Wombats are stocky, robust animals, with a lot of power for digging. The body is close to one metre (3.2 feet) long with short, powerful legs. Wombats' fur colour can vary from a sandy colour to brown, or from grey to black. Wombats can weigh between 20 and 35 kg (44 and 77 lbs).
Wombats are stocky, robust animals
Wombats have an extraordinarily slow metabolism, taking around 14 days to complete digestion, which aids their survival in arid conditions. They generally move slowly, and because of this are known for taking shortcuts, but when threatened they can reach up to 40 km/h (25 miles/h) and maintain that speed for up to 90 seconds. Wombats defend home territories centred on their burrows, and react aggressively to intruders. The common wombat occupies a range of up to 23 ha (57 acres), while the hairy-nosed species have much smaller ranges, of no more than 4 ha (10 acres).
Watch out though, Wombats can be dangerous...
Though wombats are not as abundant as they used to be, there are still plenty of them about and can often be seen if you are prepared to leave built up areas and enter into their territory. Wombats do wander across roads from time to time, so it is always a good idea to keep an eye out for them, particularly if driving through grasslands and woodlands.
Despite their cuteness, be aware that humans who accidentally find themselves in an affray with a wombat may find it best to scale a tree until the animal calms and leaves. Humans can receive puncture wounds from wombat claws as well as bites. Startled wombats can also charge humans and bowl them over, with the attendant risks of broken bones from the fall.
Wombat attack marks
On occasions wombats have been awkwardly tamed in a captive situation, and even coaxed into being patted and held, possibly becoming quite friendly. However, their lack of fear means that they may display acts of aggression if provoked, or if they are simply in a bad mood. Its sheer weight makes a charging wild wombat capable of knocking an average-sized adult over, and their sharp teeth and powerful jaws can result in severe wounds. One naturalist, Harry Frauca, once received a bite 2 cm deep into the flesh of his leg - through a rubber boot, trousers and thick woollen socks.
Given the above, it's best to admire these waddling wonders from afar!
Wombat Life Cycle
Wombats usually give birth to a single young, but twins do occur.
The gestation period for a wombat is 20 to 22 days. At birth, the baby wombat, called a joey, is extremely small and undeveloped. It will weigh approximately 2 grams, less than one-tenth of an ounce, and be about the size of a jelly bean, 2 cm (0.75 inches) long. The joey is hairless with very thin skin and is unable to keep itself warm. They're blind and their ears do not function, but they have a large mouth and tongue, and a well-developed sense of smell.
As soon as it is born, the baby wombat will crawl into its mother's pouch and attach itself to one of the mother's teats. The teat will swell up in the joey's mouth which keeps the joey attached to the teat and helps to prevent the joey from falling out of the backwards-opening pouch.
Baby Wombat in pouch
The joey will remain in the pouch nursing and developing for 4 to 10 months, usually averaging about 8 months. At first the young wombat will leave the pouch for only short periods. When disturbed or frightened, it will return to the mother's pouch for safety. After one to three months, the wombat will no longer use the pouch but may still hide under or behind its mother for protection.
Baby Wombat or 'Joey'
Once out of the pouch, the young wombat will begin to eat solid foods and will be fully weaned anywhere from 11 to 15 months, with 12 months being about average. It will remain alone in the burrow at night when the mother forages for food. Later it may follow its mother around. The mother will rip up tender grass roots and drop them on the ground for her young. The young wombat will grow rapidly during this period and will double its body weight in 3 to 8 months after being weaned.
Wombats stay with their mothers about 2 years. Some will leave their mother shortly after they're weaned, while others stay until they're full grown. Sometimes the mother will force them out. Females will usually stay with their mothers longer than males. With Northern Hairy-nosed wombats, it appears that the adult females are the ones who leave the area to establish new burrows elsewhere.
Wombats stay with their mothers about 2 years.
Species and Conservation status of the Wombat
The Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat once had a broad range across the three eastern mainland Australian states. It’s now Endangered, restricted to only two sites in Queensland (including a recent re-introduction) and is considered one of the rarest mammals in the world. Northern hairy-nosed wombats are extremely endangered and there have been massive efforts to prevent their extinction. Although previously avoided at almost all costs, trapping has now become a major tool for conservationists to build up this population of wombats.
Australian hairy nosed wombat. (photo courtesy of Bob Cleaver, Wombat Rise Sanctuary)
The Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat is considered Near Threatened and its population is highly fragmented and declining across semi-arid parts of South Australia, with just a few records in Western Australia and NSW. They have withstood massive habitat loss due to human clearing of land. They are considered threatened, but are not listed as an endangered species (Cronin, 2000). Currently, one of the main threats to their survival is the spread of rabbits throughout Australia. Rabbits, and domestic livestock, compete with wombats for forage, leading to over grazing in many areas.
The Bare-nosed or Common Wombat, once widespread throughout southern Australia, is now found in parts of eastern NSW, Victoria, south-eastern South Australia and Tasmania. The name implies there are a lot around but in truth they're in decline, although they're listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a species of Least Concern. The decline of the common wombat has resulted from humans exterminating them, hunting for sport, and competition for food with rabbits. Each species of wombat is protected to some degree in the different states in Australia, except in Victoria, where they are still threatened by hunting.
Bare nosed wombat. (photo courtesy of Bob Cleaver, Wombat Rise Sanctuary)
Threats to Wombats
In the past, countless wombats were killed for food, and by pastoralists who considered them vermin. All species are now protected across Australia, except in Victoria, where Bare-nosed Wombats are still regarded as an agricultural pest, though permits are required to control their numbers.
Habitat loss and competition for food with introduced herbivores – rabbits, cattle, sheep and goats – are now the biggest threats for wombats. Sarcoptic mange, sometimes spread by foxes and dogs, can also kill entire colonies.
While wombats don’t have many natural predators, they’re eaten by foxes, dingoes, wild-dogs, eagles, and Tasmanian devils.
The wombat uses its tough, thick-skinned rump as protection: if threatened, they escape to their burrow and can crush the predator’s skull between their rump and the burrow’s roof.
Quick Wombat Facts
Wombats are mammals.
Wombats are marsupials.
Wombats are native only to Australia.
Wombats look somewhat like a little bear.
There are two basic kinds of wombats, the Bare-nosed wombat, and the Hairy-nosed wombat.
Wombats are nocturnal grazers.
They eat mainly grasses and roots.
They live in large burrows up to 30 meters (100 feet) long.
Wombats are extremely strong and very proficient diggers.
Wombats can be anything from a sandy color to brown or black to grey.
The average wombat is about 1 meter (40 inches) long and weighs about 25 kg (55 pounds).
Wombats can live from about 5 years to over 30 years.
Wombats are generally solitary.
Wombats also have the largest brains of all the marsupials,and are notorious for cleverly digging alternate exits to their burrows when traditional traps are placed at the entrance.
Wombats do not climb like their closest relative the koala. They are entirely terrestrial and well-built for a fossorial lifestyle underground.
They use their powerful, well-clawed paws, and muscular forearms to dig large burrows that may reach as much as 150 feet in length.
They have stout, rounded, nearly tailless bodies which give them an adorable roly-poly look, however they are not fat.
Wombats are heavily muscled and can honestly claim to be "big-boned", having unusually thick bone diameter and exceptionally robust skeletal mass.
They have tiny eyes and poor vision which is compensated for with excellent senses of hearing and smell.
With its meaty form and underground lifestyle the wombat is highly reminiscent of the badger, but the two species are not closely related.
Most Australians have never seen a wild wombat
Read the full article
Wombats are Australian marsupials found in forested, mountainous and heathland areas of south-eastern Australia and Tasmania. They have very short muscular legs and are the closest relative to the Koala. The name wombat comes from the Eora Aboriginal community who were the original inhabitants of the Sydney area.
An unusual feature of the Wombat is that has a backwards facing pouch so that when they are nursing young in their pouch they can still dig burrows and not fill their pouch with soil!
Wombats feed on grasses and roots (they are herbivores) and dig long extensive burrow systems with their powerful claws. Wombats are nocturnal and will rarely venture out during the day. Wombats can travel up to 3 km a night to find a feed. Like beavers, their incisors are continuously growing, so they need to gnaw on hardy material like bark to wear down their teeth.
A Wombat munching on grass
Wombats are generally slow movers however they can run quickly if required. Their best form of defence though is when they are in their burrow. Here if they are cornered they can crush their would be predator/attacker underground using a large solid plate in their backside against the roof of their burrow.
Wombat description
Wombats are stocky, robust animals, with a lot of power for digging. The body is close to one metre (3.2 feet) long with short, powerful legs. Wombats' fur colour can vary from a sandy colour to brown, or from grey to black. Wombats can weigh between 20 and 35 kg (44 and 77 lbs).
Wombats are stocky, robust animals
Wombats have an extraordinarily slow metabolism, taking around 14 days to complete digestion, which aids their survival in arid conditions. They generally move slowly, and because of this are known for taking shortcuts, but when threatened they can reach up to 40 km/h (25 miles/h) and maintain that speed for up to 90 seconds. Wombats defend home territories centred on their burrows, and react aggressively to intruders. The common wombat occupies a range of up to 23 ha (57 acres), while the hairy-nosed species have much smaller ranges, of no more than 4 ha (10 acres).
Watch out though, Wombats can be dangerous...
Though wombats are not as abundant as they used to be, there are still plenty of them about and can often be seen if you are prepared to leave built up areas and enter into their territory. Wombats do wander across roads from time to time, so it is always a good idea to keep an eye out for them, particularly if driving through grasslands and woodlands.
Despite their cuteness, be aware that humans who accidentally find themselves in an affray with a wombat may find it best to scale a tree until the animal calms and leaves. Humans can receive puncture wounds from wombat claws as well as bites. Startled wombats can also charge humans and bowl them over, with the attendant risks of broken bones from the fall.
Wombat attack marks
On occasions wombats have been awkwardly tamed in a captive situation, and even coaxed into being patted and held, possibly becoming quite friendly. However, their lack of fear means that they may display acts of aggression if provoked, or if they are simply in a bad mood. Its sheer weight makes a charging wild wombat capable of knocking an average-sized adult over, and their sharp teeth and powerful jaws can result in severe wounds. One naturalist, Harry Frauca, once received a bite 2 cm deep into the flesh of his leg - through a rubber boot, trousers and thick woollen socks.
Given the above, it's best to admire these waddling wonders from afar!
Wombat Life Cycle
Wombats usually give birth to a single young, but twins do occur.
The gestation period for a wombat is 20 to 22 days. At birth, the baby wombat, called a joey, is extremely small and undeveloped. It will weigh approximately 2 grams, less than one-tenth of an ounce, and be about the size of a jelly bean, 2 cm (0.75 inches) long. The joey is hairless with very thin skin and is unable to keep itself warm. They're blind and their ears do not function, but they have a large mouth and tongue, and a well-developed sense of smell.
As soon as it is born, the baby wombat will crawl into its mother's pouch and attach itself to one of the mother's teats. The teat will swell up in the joey's mouth which keeps the joey attached to the teat and helps to prevent the joey from falling out of the backwards-opening pouch.
Baby Wombat in pouch
The joey will remain in the pouch nursing and developing for 4 to 10 months, usually averaging about 8 months. At first the young wombat will leave the pouch for only short periods. When disturbed or frightened, it will return to the mother's pouch for safety. After one to three months, the wombat will no longer use the pouch but may still hide under or behind its mother for protection.
Baby Wombat or 'Joey'
Once out of the pouch, the young wombat will begin to eat solid foods and will be fully weaned anywhere from 11 to 15 months, with 12 months being about average. It will remain alone in the burrow at night when the mother forages for food. Later it may follow its mother around. The mother will rip up tender grass roots and drop them on the ground for her young. The young wombat will grow rapidly during this period and will double its body weight in 3 to 8 months after being weaned.
Wombats stay with their mothers about 2 years. Some will leave their mother shortly after they're weaned, while others stay until they're full grown. Sometimes the mother will force them out. Females will usually stay with their mothers longer than males. With Northern Hairy-nosed wombats, it appears that the adult females are the ones who leave the area to establish new burrows elsewhere.
Wombats stay with their mothers about 2 years.
Species and Conservation status of the Wombat
The Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat once had a broad range across the three eastern mainland Australian states. It’s now Endangered, restricted to only two sites in Queensland (including a recent re-introduction) and is considered one of the rarest mammals in the world. Northern hairy-nosed wombats are extremely endangered and there have been massive efforts to prevent their extinction. Although previously avoided at almost all costs, trapping has now become a major tool for conservationists to build up this population of wombats.
Australian hairy nosed wombat. (photo courtesy of Bob Cleaver, Wombat Rise Sanctuary)
The Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat is considered Near Threatened and its population is highly fragmented and declining across semi-arid parts of South Australia, with just a few records in Western Australia and NSW. They have withstood massive habitat loss due to human clearing of land. They are considered threatened, but are not listed as an endangered species (Cronin, 2000). Currently, one of the main threats to their survival is the spread of rabbits throughout Australia. Rabbits, and domestic livestock, compete with wombats for forage, leading to over grazing in many areas.
The Bare-nosed or Common Wombat, once widespread throughout southern Australia, is now found in parts of eastern NSW, Victoria, south-eastern South Australia and Tasmania. The name implies there are a lot around but in truth they're in decline, although they're listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a species of Least Concern. The decline of the common wombat has resulted from humans exterminating them, hunting for sport, and competition for food with rabbits. Each species of wombat is protected to some degree in the different states in Australia, except in Victoria, where they are still threatened by hunting.
Bare nosed wombat. (photo courtesy of Bob Cleaver, Wombat Rise Sanctuary)
Threats to Wombats
In the past, countless wombats were killed for food, and by pastoralists who considered them vermin. All species are now protected across Australia, except in Victoria, where Bare-nosed Wombats are still regarded as an agricultural pest, though permits are required to control their numbers.
Habitat loss and competition for food with introduced herbivores – rabbits, cattle, sheep and goats – are now the biggest threats for wombats. Sarcoptic mange, sometimes spread by foxes and dogs, can also kill entire colonies.
While wombats don’t have many natural predators, they’re eaten by foxes, dingoes, wild-dogs, eagles, and Tasmanian devils.
The wombat uses its tough, thick-skinned rump as protection: if threatened, they escape to their burrow and can crush the predator’s skull between their rump and the burrow’s roof.
Quick Wombat Facts
Wombats are mammals.
Wombats are marsupials.
Wombats are native only to Australia.
Wombats look somewhat like a little bear.
There are two basic kinds of wombats, the Bare-nosed wombat, and the Hairy-nosed wombat.
Wombats are nocturnal grazers.
They eat mainly grasses and roots.
They live in large burrows up to 30 meters (100 feet) long.
Wombats are extremely strong and very proficient diggers.
Wombats can be anything from a sandy color to brown or black to grey.
The average wombat is about 1 meter (40 inches) long and weighs about 25 kg (55 pounds).
Wombats can live from about 5 years to over 30 years.
Wombats are generally solitary.
Wombats also have the largest brains of all the marsupials,and are notorious for cleverly digging alternate exits to their burrows when traditional traps are placed at the entrance.
Wombats do not climb like their closest relative the koala. They are entirely terrestrial and well-built for a fossorial lifestyle underground.
They use their powerful, well-clawed paws, and muscular forearms to dig large burrows that may reach as much as 150 feet in length.
They have stout, rounded, nearly tailless bodies which give them an adorable roly-poly look, however they are not fat.
Wombats are heavily muscled and can honestly claim to be "big-boned", having unusually thick bone diameter and exceptionally robust skeletal mass.
They have tiny eyes and poor vision which is compensated for with excellent senses of hearing and smell.
With its meaty form and underground lifestyle the wombat is highly reminiscent of the badger, but the two species are not closely related.
Most Australians have never seen a wild wombat
Sources:
https://www.australiazoo.com.au/our-animals/mammals/wombats/
https://www.bushheritage.org.au/species/wombats
http://www.australiaforeveryone.com.au/wildlife-wombat.html
http://www.wombania.com/wombats/
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/wombat-attack-leaves-woman-horrific-8681406
Read the full article
