The wombat is a large burrowing herbivore. This ancient Australian animal, which has lived on Earth for about 18 million years, looks like a bear cub. Well-fed, with short legs, clumsy, the animal evokes affection.
Habitat
Wombats (Vombatidae) are a family of marsupial mammals from the order Diprotodontia. These animals are close relatives of koalas - in ancient times they had common ancestors, one of which reached the size of a hippopotamus. But once the wombat’s paths diverged: the first found refuge in the trees, and the second began to dig deep holes.
Wombats live only in Australia - in the southeast of the continent, as well as on the Tasmania and Flinders Islands. A characteristic feature of animals is the ability to maintain high population densities even in unproductive areas.
In sandy coastal areas, the population of short-haired wombats reaches very high densities. They can also be found in the alpine belt up to the snow line and above.
Long-haired wombats favor dry regions where soil fertility is too low to support livestock, but these marsupials thrive here.
Types, descriptions and photos of wobmats
The family includes 3 modern species, combined into 2 genera:
1) The genus Lasiorhinus, which includes the Queensland wombat (Lasiorhunus krefftii) and the long-haired wombat (Lasiorhunus latifrons);
2) The genus Vombatus, consisting of one species - the Short-haired wombat (Vombatus ursinus).
The animal's physique is dense, its legs are short, and its tail is not developed. The muzzle is slightly flattened, the eyes are small, and the large nose is covered with hair.
In the photo of the wombat you can see its external features.
The girdle of the forelimbs is strong and heavy, the humerus is wide, which makes the front of the body especially powerful. The front paws are massive with large, long claws.
Females and males of all species are similar, but male Queensland wombats have a shorter body than females, a thicker neck, and more powerful shoulders. The animal's skull is massive, wide and flattened. Teeth grow throughout your life.
A very interesting feature of wombats is their back part of the body, which, if necessary, can serve as a kind of shield. It is very hard due to its rough skin, cartilage and bones, which is very useful when you need to repel an enemy attack. If a dingo dog tries to get into the hole, our hero, turning his back, blocks the entrance to the hole, and if the enemy still ends up in the hole, the animal drives him into a corner and tries to strangle him with his hindquarters.
Short-haired wombat
This species lives in forests and groves, heather thickets and alpine meadows throughout south-eastern Australia, as well as on the islands of Tasmania and Flinders.
Body length 90-115 cm, tail length – 2.5 cm; height at withers 36 cm; weight – 22-39 kg. The coat is coarse and varies in color from black to brown and gray.
Short-haired wombat (Vombatus ursinus)Long-haired wombat
The long-haired wombat lives in central South Australia. In arid regions it inhabits forest areas and is also found in meadows and steppes.
Body length 77-94 cm, tail – 2.5 cm; height at withers 36 cm, weight – 19-32 kg. The coat is soft, its color varies from gray to black with light spots, the muzzle is covered with fur, the ears are long and pointed.
Long-haired wombat (Lasiorhunus latifrons)Over the past two hundred years, the ranges of short-haired and long-haired wombats have been reduced by 10-50% due to habitat destruction and competition with rabbits and livestock for food, but they are safe in most of their original range.
In some areas of Victoria, the short-haired wombat is considered a pest, and its numbers even have to be controlled.
Queensland wombat
One of the rarest animals today. This species was found in only three places, in two of which it disappeared at the beginning of the 19th century due to habitat changes and the use of poisons against rabbits. The latter population survived due to the fact that in 1974 its range entered the Epping Forest National Park (Central Queensland). In 1980 there were only 35 individuals, but by 1995 the population had doubled. Today, according to various sources, there are from 90 to 118 Queensland wombats.
Queensland wombat (Lasiorhunus krefftii)This is the largest species. The average body length of males is 102 cm, females - 107 cm; height at withers 40 cm; males weigh about 30 kg, females - 32.5 kg. The coat is silky, silver in color, and there are dark circles around the eyes.
Lifestyle
Not much is known about the behavior of wombats in nature, since they are secretive, nocturnal animals that spend a lot of time in burrows underground. Burrows often have multiple exits, side tunnels and nesting chambers and can be over 30 meters long.
Wombats can live alone or in groups of up to 10 animals; the number of males and females in the group is usually the same. As a rule, several groups live close to each other.
These animals are characterized by an unusual settlement feature: young males and females remain in the area where they were born, while adult females, after raising their offspring, can move to another area. They disperse over a distance of up to 3 kilometers.
The diet of wombats mostly consists of young grass; sometimes they eat plant roots, fruits of berry bushes, mosses and mushrooms.
Animals have a very low basal metabolic rate, and their energy requirements are the lowest among marsupials. Low energy requirements coupled with efficient digestion of fiber mean that wombats require little food. Thus, the animal spends much less time searching for food than would be expected from a herbivore of its size. The total feeding time for the Queensled wombat under favorable conditions is only 2 hours a day. This allows the animals to spend most of their time underground. Under unfavorable weather conditions, they do not fall into torpor, but may not leave the hole for several days.
The breeding season for long-haired and Queensland wombats is in spring and early summer, while short-haired wombats breed at any time of the year. Pregnancy lasts 20-22 days, there is 1 cub in the litter. The newborn moves into the mother's pouch, where it develops from 6 to 10 months (depending on the species, the baby of the Queensland species remains in the pouch the longest).
The life expectancy of these animals in nature is on average 15 years, in captivity 20-25 years. A long-lived wombat from the Australian Ballarat Wildlife Park is also known. He lived for 32 years.
In contact with
An inhabitant of the Australian open spaces, the wombat is an animal that immediately attracts you with its incredibly mobile emotional face and appearance, reminiscent of a bear cub.
This representative of the family of two-incisor marsupials appeared on Earth almost 18 million years ago and has lived to this day, practically without undergoing any radical changes. Let's find out details about the existence of these unique herbivores.
Wombat: photo. Animal and its features
Wombats, which live in the south and east of Australia, are found in many states of the continent where there is land suitable for digging burrows. marsupial bears - koalas, these animals are very similar to them, but their evolutionary lines diverged, according to scientists, long before the appearance of the species known today.
These cute “bear cubs” reach a length of 0.7 to 1.2 m and weigh from 20 to 40 kg. Nature thoughtfully designed their compact body, providing them with short and strong flat limbs ending in five fingers topped with strong claws adapted for digging holes. The description is complemented by a short, undeveloped tail, an impressive head that gives the impression of being slightly flattened on the sides, and small eyes.
Kinds
The uniqueness of these animals is emphasized by the small number of their species. The wombat is an Australian animal found nowhere else in the world. There are only four species of this marsupial:
- Ordinary or large. The main features are a coarse coat, rounded short ears and lack of hair on a small area of the muzzle. The jaws and teeth of this species are similar in structure to rodents. In the center of the upper and lower rows there is a pair of classic long incisors.
- Tasmanian. The species is the most heat-loving and rare, although it used to be very common. Found in Tasmania and Flinders Island.
- Broad-browed. Also a rare species, distributed only in South Australia. Exterminated due to its soft, silky fur.
- The Lesser Wombat is a species native to Queensland.
Lifestyle
The marsupial wombat is the largest of the burrowing mammals that spend a significant part of its life underground. Perhaps it was this way of life that allowed this unique population to be preserved to this day.
With strong and sharp claws, they are able to dig complex passages, small caves and tunnels in the ground. The burrows that the wombat digs are similar to those of a badger: ornate corridors of varying lengths (from 3 to 30 meters) lead to a room used by the wombat as a home. There he makes a cozy nest for himself.
The wombat is a nocturnal animal. Activity increases with the onset of night, when he begins to search for food, moving quite quickly. Sometimes these amazing “Australians” reach high speeds - up to 40 km/h, although only over short distances. It is difficult to see them during the day because they rest in their caves.
What do little bears eat?
The wombat is a gourmet animal. He is picky and looks for young tender shoots of grasses, sweet roots of some plants, and the upper lip, divided into two parts, allows wombats to choose exactly the food they like, since the animal’s front teeth can freely reach the smallest sprout or root. Wombats' sense of smell plays an important role in finding food.
These unique animals have the same incredible yet efficient metabolism. Digestion of food in a wombat lasts 14 days.
And in terms of water consumption, these “Australians” are the leaders among mammals after the camel: for the normal functioning of the body, on average, 0.5-0.7 liters of water per kg of body weight per day is enough for them.
Wombat enemies and methods of protection
The Australian “bear cub” has practically no natural enemies in nature. The main opponents can be considered dingoes and Tasmanian devils. Nature took care of the wombat's protection by creating a kind of shell from the back, inventing an unusual combination of bones and cartilage, covered with extremely hard skin. Sensing danger, they turn around backwards, blocking the entrance to the hole, and successfully repel the attacks of the attackers. If an uninvited guest climbs into a hole, the wombat skillfully drives him into a corner and tries to strangle him using the same protective “device.”
He is capable of striking with his head, acting like a goat, which also leads to the escape or death of the victim.
Reproduction
Wombats do not have distinct periods for reproduction. This process can happen at any time and anywhere. The wombat is a monogamous animal. The mother touchingly takes care of the cub and does not leave worries about him until he reaches puberty - the age of two. The offspring stays in the mother's pouch for up to 6-8 months, and when released into the world, they remain next to the mother for more than a year. The lifespan of this interesting animal in nature reaches 15 years, and individuals in captivity can live up to 25.
It must be said that for Australians, the wombat (photo) is almost a domestic animal, since it often lives next to people, coming to them for various reasons, sometimes tragic.
Classification
View: Wombat Vombatidae
Squad: Two-incisor marsupials
Highest classification: Vombatiformes
Domain: Eukaryotes
Kingdom: Animals
Type: Chordata
Class: Mammals
The wombat is a herbivorous representative of the Australian fauna that is active at night.
This is a marsupial animal that has practically no natural enemies.
Externally, the animal resembles a small bear cub
The wombat, like , and , digs holes, and its food source is vegetation.
He looks quite cute and seems harmless, but as soon as he senses danger, he immediately becomes aggressive.
Nature has endowed this animal with acute hearing and poor eyesight. The cold climate is destructive for it and prolonged stay in such conditions can provoke serious illnesses.
Habitat
Australia and Tasmania are the main places where the wombat lives. It lives in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.
Its habitat is forests, fields and mountains. The wombat needs land in which it constantly digs holes - it lives there and marks its territory.
The wombat will always protect its inhabited spaces, scaring off the “uninvited guest” with a menacing moo. Often this is enough for him to leave, but if necessary, the wombat will enter into battle
Previously, all of Australia was inhabited by wombats, but due to the active destruction of rodents, their population has decreased significantly.
And today these marsupials can only be found in the southern part of the continent.
Characteristic
Because of its short legs, the wombat looks like a small, stocky bear. But in fact, he is a “relative” of the kangaroo.
Its body looks massive and thick, and thanks to its large head, the first Australian settlers called the wombat a badger.
Today, three species of these marsupial mammals are known:
- common Vombatus ursinus;
- broad-browed;
- Woolly-nosed Krefta, or northern.
Representatives of the last two species have another name - long-haired.
Albino wombats also exist, but they are extremely rare.
Important! Human agricultural activities have caused irreparable damage to the wombat population.
Appearance
The body length of an adult animal ranges from 70-130 cm. Its weight can be 20-45 kg. The body looks compact, the legs are short, but very strong.
There are five toes on each foot, four of which have sharp claws - with their help both the long-haired and the common wombat dig their tunnels.
There are two small eyes on the large head. The tail is thin and not too long.
Interesting! Among extinct species, for example, Phascolonus gigas, there were individuals whose weight could reach 200 kg!
In terms of the structure of its jaws, the wombat is similar to rodents. It has four front cutting teeth - two each on top and bottom, and simple chewing teeth, with no corner teeth.
This mammal has a total of 12 teeth - the smallest among marsupials.
The common wombat has a completely bare nose, short and rounded ears, and gray-brown fur that is very short and hard to the touch.
Representatives of the other two species - northern and broad-fronted - have hairy noses, much larger ears and soft fur.
The largest among the others is the broad-fronted wombat, which can be seen in the next photo. Its characteristic features are pointed ears and a flat forehead.
Broad-faced wombat wearing a gray “fur coat”
Key Features
- The wombat lives mainly underground in a hole that it dug itself. With the help of its long sharp claws, this animal is capable of building both small caves and real tunnel systems. The length of the latter can reach 20 m, and the depth - 3.5 m. At the intersection of underground systems, separate caves are formed, in which different “families” of these stunning animals can live at different times.
- These mammals rest in their shelters during daylight hours. At night they are active and come out of their burrows to find food. But in winter, the northern wombat can also be found during the day, as is clearly demonstrated in the next photo.
In cold weather, the northern wombat can come out of its burrow to bask in the sun's rays
- Adults have virtually no natural enemies. They can be hunted by wild dingoes and Tasmanian devils, whose habitat is also Australia. But they significantly undermine the number of wombats and prevent them from raising their offspring.
- This animal repels the attacks of an attacker in a very strange way - it exposes the back of its back from the hole. This is due to the fact that they have a kind of shield located on their pelvic bones. If the enemy penetrates the hole, then the wombat peacefully moves aside, luring him deeper, and then attacks and strangles him with his back shield.
- During a fight, both long-haired and common wombats butt heads, delivering powerful head blows. But before they engage in combat, they warn the enemy by shaking their heads from side to side and mooing threateningly.
- The constant presence of a source of water in places where the wombat lives is not a prerequisite for existence. He lives quite calmly for a long time without liquid, and if he drinks, it is very little.
Interesting! The wombat ranks second in terms of water conservation after the camel. For one kilogram of body weight per day, only 22 ml of liquid is enough for him!
- The area of the territory where this representative of the fauna lives will depend on external conditions and can be about 5-25 hectares. They mark their “possessions” not only with dug holes, but also with excrement.
- Their anus has a special structure, due to which the feces are shaped like cubes.
The food source for wombats is vegetation. They consume grass shoots, roots of some plants, and can feed on moss, as well as berries and mushrooms.
And they identify edible vegetation using the upper lip, divided into two parts.
Large front teeth protrude from under it, with which animals easily cut off young shoots to the very root.
Thanks to a well-developed sense of smell, these representatives of the fauna have excellent orientation even at night.
Wombats find food without much difficulty, even despite poor eyesight
Interesting! Wombats have a slow but very efficient metabolism. After saturation, the animal’s body needs about 2 weeks to digest the incoming food!
Reproduction
The breeding season begins in May and lasts until August. No more than three weeks are allowed to bear the baby.
The female has two nipples, but during one pregnancy she is able to give birth to only one “heir”, who, after birth, remains under her care for a fairly long period of time.
This animal has a pouch on its abdomen that is turned backwards.
This arrangement helps the wombats dig their trenches unhindered even while the baby is in this pouch. The male reaches sexual maturity in the second year of his life, the female only in the third.
The cub spends about 9 months in the mother's pouch.
Wombat reproduction occurs throughout almost the entire territory where it lives, with the exception of particularly dry zones.
In such regions, this animal is able to produce offspring only at certain times of the year.
In the wild, both the common and northern wombat live on average about 15 years. In captivity, their life expectancy can reach a quarter of a century.
On a note! There is information about a long-lived wombat who died after reaching 34 years of age. But there is also a living marsupial mammal nicknamed Patrick, which is located in Ballarta Park - its age today is 29 years old!
Australia is famous for its huge number of zoological parks and tourist centers, where wombats live in captivity and reproduce quite actively.
These animals are incredibly popular, despite the fact that they are very difficult to tame.
But the park workers were able to find a common language with these cute creatures, and after much persuasion, they still come out of their hiding places for everyone to see and even allow themselves to be stroked, as can be seen in the next photo.
The baby wombat behaves quite friendly and calm
But you should always remember about their far from meek disposition, which can manifest itself at any moment.
As soon as an animal senses danger, it can immediately attack a person and scratch him with its long, strong claws.
If the wombat is not provoked, it will not show signs of aggression. But at the same time, his behavior can also be affected by a bad mood.
Being strong and sturdy, possessing remarkable weight, powerful jaws and sharp teeth, an angry wombat will leave deep wounds if a person does not disappear from his field of vision in time.
In addition, when angry, these representatives of the fauna are capable of completely destroying the vegetation that will be located in the area.
He will zealously dig up the entire area until there is not a single sprout left on it.
These characteristics make the wombat not the best pet. He is unpredictable, excessively timid and therefore poses a serious danger to humans.
And even if the threat is not real, a frightened animal can attack an imaginary enemy.
In addition, they cannot be called smart and sometimes their actions are at odds with a seemingly good mood.
In order for such an exotic animal as a wombat to qualify as a pet, a place must first be arranged for it.
And, as some owners of these marsupials say, over time they get used to the situation, especially if it is possible to dig trenches without hindrance.
A house or apartment is not suitable for keeping them, since there is not enough space for a wombat and he will have nowhere to hide.
In this regard, floor coverings and walls will certainly be seriously damaged or become completely unusable.
A suitable place for a wombat is a garden plot with a large territory.
At the same time, it is important to remember about the climatic zone of residence, since these animals tolerate cold very poorly - under such conditions they will often get sick.
In regions characterized by a variable climate, special places are created for these animals where the pet can wait out the cold months or several days of inclement weather
The baby next to a calm mother will feel quite comfortable and develop well.
Animal Wombat: Cute marsupial mammal
The wombat is a herbivorous representative of the Australian fauna that is active at night. This is a marsupial animal that has practically no natural enemies.
Outwardly similar to a tiny bear and a hamster at the same time. They live underground, carry their young in a pouch and are able to defeat even a dog.
Description of the wombat
The wombat has a body up to 130 centimeters long and weighing up to 45 kilograms. There are several species of wombats, of which the largest is the broad-fronted one. In ancient times, there were even more species and the existence of an animal weighing up to 200 kg, which lived approximately 11,000 years ago, was proven. In general, wombats appeared about 18 million years ago and had many species, among which was a giant, the size of a rhinoceros.
Modern wombats seem fat and rather clumsy. In fact, this is not entirely true. The wombat's body has a compact build and allows it not only to run well, but also to climb trees and swim. While running, a wombat can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h!
The color of a given animal greatly depends on the specific species. However, all representatives have predominant shades of gray or brown. The fur is thick, smooth, evenly covering almost the entire body. The vast majority of wombats even have fur on their noses.
Wombats have very strong paws with five fingers and powerful claws. Their shape is fully adapted for efficient digging of the earth.
Wombat lifestyle
Wombats live in burrows that they dig themselves. The structure of the burrow is complex and often consists of a whole system of passages. When two or more wombats live in a small area, the passages of their burrows may intersect. In this case, all “owners” use them. Burrows are used by wombats as permanent places of residence and refuge from possible danger.
Historically, wombats have virtually no natural enemies. The threat comes only from the dingo introduced by people and the Tasmanian devil, a strong local predator. Despite their small size, wombats are capable of defending themselves well, and they do so in a very unconventional way.
In the back of the body of all wombats there is a very hard “lining” of thick skin, cartilage and bones. It is very difficult to damage it with teeth or claws, so the wombat closes the entrance to the cave with its back part of its body and blocks the entrance for the vast majority of uninvited guests. If penetration into the home does occur, then the guest may not come back out. A wombat can corner and strangle even a Dingo dog. In addition to applying pressure with the rear "shield", he can deliver strong blows with his forehead, acting like cattle.
The wombat is a herbivorous animal. Like other marsupials, it feeds on grass, leaves and roots. The diet also includes various mushrooms, berries and moss. For full life, a wombat requires a record small amount of water.
Wombats and humans
Despite their fighting qualities, wombats are distinguished by their good-natured disposition. Tamed animals love affection and stroking, easily getting used to humans. Local residents often keep wombats as pets. With some diligence, this animal can even be trained! However, it is not recommended to come into close contact with wild animals. A heavy and strong wombat, armed with claws, can pose a danger even to an adult.
The wombat population overall is not declining. However, with the increasing presence of humans on the Australian mainland, a separate species, the Queensland one, almost disappeared. Now there are about a hundred of its representatives living in a specialized reserve in Queensland.
Wombats have lived on Earth for 18 million years and today are found only in Australia. They are the largest of the earth-moving mammals, the family of which includes three species: Lasiorhunus latifrons (long-haired), Vombatus ursinus (short-haired) and Lasiorhunus krefftii (Queensland).
Appearance and lifestyle
An adult wombat is the size of a small bear cub (body length is 0.7 - 1.2 m, and weight is from 20 to 40 kg). These animals are endowed with an incredibly attractive appearance: a plump body covered with thick, coarse hair, short clubbed legs and round button eyes make it irresistible.
Nature has endowed this marsupial with an excellent entrenching tool: its paws have large, strong claws that are convenient for digging the ground. Therefore, the wombat spends most of the day underground, coming to the surface for several hours to eat and sunbathe. The animal’s home is a “multi-room” burrow-apartment, connected by underground passages.
This is interesting: There is a legend that the copper deposits of Australia were discovered thanks to wombats - people discovered pieces of metal near these animal burrows. Apparently, as a sign of gratitude, the residents of South Wales named one of the villages Wombat, and astronomers gave this name to the Main Belt asteroid.
The corridor tunnels dug by wombats reach 20 m in length and 3.5 m in depth, and the area they occupy can be up to 25 hectares. These representatives of marsupials do not live in flocks, but the burrows of neighboring families are usually located close to each other. Often passages belonging to different families intersect, then the animals use them together.
The wombat is a very slow animal by nature, but in a critical situation it is able to run at the speed of a car - up to 60 km/h, and can swim and climb trees. But in case of danger, he usually hurries to the hole, hides the upper part of his body in it, “plugging” the entrance with a thick loin. And if the enemy nevertheless penetrates the hole, the owner of the home is able to simply strangle him, pressing him against the wall with his powerful, hard butt. Actually, the wombat has practically no natural enemies, with the exception of the thunderstorm of all marsupials in Australia - the dingo dog.
Vombatus is a herbivore; it feeds on grass, plant roots, berries, and mushrooms. It has few teeth, only 12, but the divided upper lip allows it to “cut” grass almost at ground level. Wombats have a very efficient and therefore slow metabolism. It takes them almost 2 weeks to digest food. This animal drinks very little water, only 22 ml per kilogram of weight per day, second only to the camel in terms of economy.
Interesting fact: The wombat's digestive tract is very unusual. In its intestine there are horizontal folds and grooves, so feces are formed in the form of cubes; per day this earth-moving marsupial produces from 80 to 100 dry compact “bricks”. Cube poop does not roll off the surface of a stone or log, which allows the animal to use it as a means of marking territory.
Raising offspring
The average lifespan of Vombatus is 15-18 years, it reaches sexual maturity by 3 years. The female carries the pregnancy for a little less than a month, resulting in the birth of one, or less often, two cubs weighing about 0.5 kg.
The offspring spends more than six months in the mother's pouch, where they are provided with warmth, food and protection. The wombat's pouch has two nipples, and the entrance hole is turned backwards. This gives the mother the opportunity to do excavation work when her offspring is “staying at home.”
After the cub has grown up and is able to eat on its own, it moves into a hole, where the mother brings grass and roots for it, having previously crushed them with her teeth. The period of raising the offspring lasts about a year, then the young wombat goes to “free bread”.
Domestication and captivity
Wombats are peaceful and only show aggression in situations that they consider dangerous. Australians often keep these marsupials as pets. Tame animals become attached to the owner and accompany him like devoted little dogs. A city apartment is not suitable for keeping them; the best habitat would be a large garden plot where they can dig holes and shelters.
Amusing features of the wombat: Domestic wombats often become lovers of foods that are not available to them under natural conditions. The English naturalist Charles Cornish in his book “The World of Animals” described the real story of how a wombat, addicted to milk, constantly looked for the coveted drink in the house, drank as much as he could, and took a bath with the leftovers.
Vombatus are prohibited from being exported from Australia. They can be purchased, having received special permission, only by a reputable zoo in which the animal will be guaranteed proper living conditions. In its homeland, an adult wombat can be bought for $500÷1000.
More funny wombats in our photo gallery.
