Wombat

The wombat is a large, sturdy marsupial that lives in Australia. There are several kinds of wombats, including the Tasmanian wombat, the common wombat, and the hairy-nosed wombat. It is one of the largest burrowing animals in the world.

Wombats are black, brown, gray, or cream. God designed the pouch of the wombat to face backward so that when it burrows into the ground, the pouch does not fill with dirt. The common wombat can grow to the size of a small pig. Predators get a headache if they chase a wombat into its burrow. Since wombats have a hardened pad on their rump, they can use that to crush the head of an attacker against the burrow wall.

Wombats dig long burrows with several entrances, and a colony of wombats may share the same burrow. They are mostly solitary in their habitat and come out at night to feed on vegetation and grasses.

After mating, a female wombat will give birth to a bean-sized baby. The baby then drags itself to the backward-facing pouch, which will be its home for the next six to ten months. The mother cares for her baby another five to ten months after it leaves her pouch.

Wombats are playful and intelligent and make good pets. In captivity they like to curl up on their caretaker’s lap and sleep.

Wombat

Marsupiala • Vombatidae • Vombatus ursinus

Length: 30 inches (75 cm)
Weight: 40–80 pounds (18–36 kg)
Life Span: 5–15 years
Special Design Feature: The pouch of this marsupial faces backward so that it doesn’t fill with dirt as the wombat burrows.
Did You Know? The wombat is one of the largest burrowing animals in the world.