They burrow long and complex warrens tunnel systems due to their barrel-shaped bodies as well as long claws on their wide, powerful feet. An unusual feature of these marsupials is that their pouches face backward. Due to opening towards the female's back, the pouch remains clean from dirt as the wombat digs the ground. Wombats may digest their meal for as long as 14 days because of their slow metabolism, which is highly beneficial to these animals in their hot and dry environment.
Like rodents, wombats have constantly growing incisors. In order to control this continuous growth, the animals gnaw on bark or tough vegetation. This animal has a hard cartilage on its tough backside, which is difficult for predators to destroy. When threatened, it runs away, fleeing headfirst into a nearby tunnel, blocking the entrance with its solid rump and relying on its cartilage.
This cartilage, combined with lack of a tail make the Northern hairy-nosed wombat well protected against attacks of local predators. References 1. Included in Lists Endangered Species of Australia.
Threatened Species of Australia. Mammals of Australia. Related Animals Common Ringtail Possum. Antilopine Kangaroo. Common Wallaroo. Red Kangaroo. Red-Necked Wallaby. Common Wombat.
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Wedge-tailed eagle. Topics Animals and plants Native animals Native animal facts Wombats Wombats Wombats are stout, sturdy marsupials native to Australia.
Slide controls:. Where do they live? Setting out their territory Although wombats will share burrows, they are possessive about their particular feeding grounds. There is often a white patch on the nose and chest. Southern hairy-nosed wombats are the most arid-adapted wombats and, although have reduced in number, are still found scattered across southern Australia. The largest, and rarest, wombat species is the northern hairy-nosed wombat, which averages about 32kg and reaches more than one metre in length.
Compared with the bare-nosed wombat, northern hairy-nosed wombats have softer fur, longer and more pointed ears and a broader muzzle fringed with fine whiskers. They are generally nocturnal but will sun themselves on winter mornings and afternoons.
Northern hairy-nosed wombats are known to live for at least 28 years. Detection of northern hairy-nosed wombat burrow use over a 24 period at Richard Underwood Nature Refuge between August and March Fossil records show that the northern hairy-nosed wombat was once widespread, through Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. However, since European settlement, this species has only been found in three locations—the Deniliquin area in southern New South Wales, the Moonie River area in southern Queensland, and the Epping Forest area in central Queensland.
By , the northern hairy-nosed wombats were restricted to a single population at Epping Forest National Park Scientific. It is 2, ha of open eucalypt woodland and brigalow communities and was gazetted in The nature refuge was gazetted in and protects about hectares of eucalypt woodland on old riverbanks. The first northern hairy-nosed wombats were translocated to the site in July , with additional wombats added in To promote breeding and maintain genetic diversity, wombats are added to the population periodically.
The first breeding occurred in Both populations are heavily managed by the Department of Environment and Science to ensure the species continues to thrive and expand.
Until , wombat numbers were determined by trapping individuals to estimate population size. Although trapping was a lengthy and disruptive process, it provided useful data on health and reproductive status of the population. Since , a hair census technique has been used to produce wombat population estimates. The hair census technique relies on collecting wombat hair on strips of double-sided sticky tape placed across the entrance to active burrows.
Genetic data is extracted from the hair and analysed by a statistician to produce a population estimate. Northern hairy-nosed wombats require a year-round supply of grass, which is their primary food source, and deep sandy soils to dig burrows. Areas that support sufficient levels of grass are predominantly associated with open eucalypt woodlands. Not all soils are suitable for northern hairy-nosed wombats to dig their burrows. In Epping Forest National Park Scientific , they dig their burrows in the deep, sandy soils along ancient dry creek beds.
They forage in areas of heavy clay soils adjacent to the sandy soils, but do not dig burrows in the clay soils, which become water-logged in the wet seasons. At Epping Forest National Park Scientific , burrows are often associated with native bauhina trees, Lysiphyllum hookeri.
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