Northern Hairy Nosed Wombat by artists Gillie and Marc

LOCATIONS

EDITION 1 - SINGAPORE - 19 May 2023 - 18 May 2024
Gardens By The Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953
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NAME
Go Forth Lee & Nina

TITLE
Love The Northern Hairy Nosed Wombat

GENDER
Male, Female

AGE
3 and 4

FOUND
Australia

CONSERVATION STATUS
Critically Endangered

Go Forth Lee is 3-years-old and is very proud of his warren. He took over a system from an old wombat and expanded it, it’s so much bigger now! He is critically endangered but so happy the humans have finally decided to give his species a helping hand. But there are still many predators he has to watch out for and because his population size is so small he must be careful not to mate with anyone he’s related to. Luckily for him, he has beautiful Nina by his side, another wombat from his community. 

The wombat, the round-bottomed, snub-nosed, absolutely adorable Aussie animal. Wombats may look ungainly but they are actually very quick, reaching speeds of up to 40 km/hr! There are three species of wombat, the most endangered being the northern hairy-nosed wombat with only 250 left in the wild. They once lived throughout New South Wales and Victoria but can now only be found in the Epping Forest National Park. The largest it's kind, it also has the softest fur and wonderful fine whiskers.

These wombats live a solitary life, building warrens with large and complex tunnel systems deep beneath the sand. These are huge and can cover an area of up to 300 hectares. They are nocturnal animals but will still sit out in the sun on winter mornings and afternoons to warm up. They are herbivores and love to eat roots, herbs, and different grasses.

Northern hairy-nosed wombats are monogamous and mother's will give birth to one baby at a time. As wombats are marsupials, the babies will climb into their mothers’ pouch not fully developed, where it will continue to develop for 6-9 months. They will leave their mother when they reach a year old. 

In the early 20th century, the northern hairy-nosed wombat was thought to be extinct. Luckily that was not true. Even so, there is still a long way for them to go before they are out of the danger zone. Competing with livestock, one of the main threats is a shortage of food. Now, the cows aren't so much of an issue, but the eastern grey kangaroo is still there to munch away their grass. There are also threats of predation from wild dogs, risks from drought, floods and fires, disease, and of course all of the risks that come with having such a tiny population size (like genetic diversity). A lot of wonderful work has been put into conservation efforts for this adorable marsupial such as habitat protection and the creation of a second colony. But there is still a lot more work to be done. 

HOW TO HELP 

Inspired by animals that Gillie and Marc met on their travels, we invite the public to discover and interact with these beautiful creatures up close and personal – this allows audiences to connect, take photographs and share their favourite species with friends and family.

With more exposure comes more awareness and builds on the love we already have for animals around the world. With love comes a greater sense of urgency to create a change and save all endangered animals. 

​The sculpture will be aligned with the hashtag #LoveTheLast to raise unparalleled awareness about the sculpture’s cause across the globe.

To help protect these animals, please donate to the WWF: https://www.wwf.sg/