Wombat

'Keeping Wildlife Wild'

Tasmanian Wombat

[Vombatus ursinus tasmaniensis]
Aboriginal Name - Goolung

All our wombats have been orphaned in vehicle accidents and would have perished without being found and hand raised, as wombats stay with their mothers until around 18 months of age.

The wombat is the largest burrowing mammal. Their large fore paws and strong claws excavate their burrows and they will then back out, moving loose dirt out of the burrow using both front and back paws. Burrows may be 20m long and have numerous connecting tunnels including one or more nests, made from sticks, leaves and grasses.

Tasmanian Wombats are large and solidly built and will grow to be around 20kg in weight and average 85cm in height. The rump is covered by very thick, tough skin and is used as protection from teeth and claws of attackers, while diving into a burrow. They will also crush predators against the burrow roof with their rump.

Wombats differ from other marsupials because they one pair of upper and lower teeth [incisors]. These teeth have no root and never stop growing, so are useful tools for cutting through obstruction. There is a gap before other teeth used for chewing at the rear of the mouth.

Adult female wombats have a rear facing pouch which opens to the rear to avoid filling with dirt and debris while burrowing. The pouch contains 2 nipples for the young wombat to suckle. It stays in the pouch for 6 to 7 months. After leaving the pouch the young will still suckle from an elongated nipple and supplement with plant material until weaned at around 15 months old. The female will only rear one young every two years.

Wombats love to eat native grasses with moss being a delicacy. Sedges, roots, bark and herbs also form part of their diet and they can pick up vegetation with their front paws and place it in their mouth.

Wombats are mostly nocturnal, feeding at night to avoid high temperatures. They may venture out during the day to bask in the sun or graze during cold weather. They graze for between 3 and 8 hours a night visiting up to 4 burrows within their home range, to rest or tidy the burrow.

Wombats in the wild use scent markings, vocalisations and displays of aggression to protect their feeding areas and home ranges. They are generally solitary animals and enjoy a good rub against a scratching post such as a log or branch.

Adult wombats have distinctive cube shaped droppings so that they do not roll off their intended position. Any new object within the home range, particularly those that are elevated are prime targets. Rocks, fresh mushrooms, fallen branches and even an upright stick have been found with a deposit on top.