Wombats, native to Australia, are furry, nocturnal marsupials that have recently garnered international media attention, particularly baby wombats, after an incident where an American influencer filmed herself snatching a young joey from its mother. This act triggered a larger global conversation regarding the mistreatment of wildlife, emphasizing that while wild animals may be seen as cute, it is vital to avoid interacting with them for both their safety and ours.
Unlike other iconic Australian marsupials such as kangaroos and koalas, most wombats spend considerable amounts of time underground—living in extensive burrows that can feature up to ten entrances and stretch over 325 feet (100 meters) in length. These intricate systems of tunnels represent significant labor for an animal that is roughly the size of a medium dog, weighing up to 88 pounds (40 kg) and measuring up to 3 feet long. Wombats possess short legs, broad feet, sharp claws, flat faces, small ears, and large noses, well-adapted for their life underground.
If several wombats utilize the same burrow, it is most frequently a group of females. After the mother wombat raises her young, she may permanently leave the family burrow to join another one, allowing her offspring—who may still be too small to create their own burrow—to occupy the underground estate. This behavior highlights the social structures and dynamics within wombat families, as noted by the Wombat Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on Australian wildlife conservation.
When they are above ground, wombats primarily graze on grass, which constitutes their main diet. They are herbivores and primarily use their claws for digging rather than for feeding. Wombats also possess an interesting physiological characteristic; in 2021, scientists from Cornell University and other institutions revealed that wombats are unique in producing cube-shaped scat. This unusual shape is a result of the structure of their intestinal muscles, demonstrating the fascinating biology of these marsupials.
There are three recognized species of wombats, one of which is the northern hairy-nosed wombat, classified as critically endangered. In light of ongoing environmental challenges such as wildfires, wombat burrows have provided refuge for various other animal species. During wildfire season in Australia, these burrows have been observed sheltering bush rats, monitor lizards, painted button-quails, and other creatures, indicating a unique aspect of ecosystem interdependence where wombats' efforts create habitats for other wildlife, as documented by trail camera observations in recent studies.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department benefits from the support of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; however, the content is crafted solely by AP. This reflects the ongoing commitment to responsible and informative reporting on issues affecting wildlife, particularly those surrounding species like wombats and the implications of human interactions on their populations.
Written by Christina Larson, The Associated Press
