Wombats

Wombats are short and round burrowing marsupials found only in Australia. They have been described as resembling a small bear, but their closest relative is in fact, the koala.  Wombats can weigh up to and over 40 kilograms and can reach a metre long yet barely stand 30 centimetres tall! With a tough barrel-like body, short powerful legs, and long flat claws, the wombat walks with a shuffling gait but is extremely adept at tunnelling. A main burrow will house a network of sub tunnels, which include multiple entrances and sleeping quarters.

Wombats are territorial animals. They mark their home range by grunting at intruders, rubbing their scent on trees, and scattering cube-shaped droppings. The unique shape of their dung helps keep the markings in place around their territory.

Threats to wombat populations

• destruction of habitat due to urban sprawl and forestry practices 
• competition with rabbits and livestock for food
• rabbit poisons
• hunting
• road accidents
• While eagles, owls, and quolls prey on the young, wombats’ main predators include dingoes, foxes, and Tasmanian devils
• Bushfires, the threat of a bushfire for wombats is not the fire itself—they are well protected in their deep burrows, it is the loss of their food supply during the fire. 
• Foxes spread deadly diseases to wombats such as mange

What can you do to help wombats?

• Help preserve and extend existing eucalyptus forests to allow for ideal living conditions to exist for wombats.
• You can also educate others about wombats. Help people to understand that wombats are incredible, smart creatures that deserve our protection.

What to do if you hit a wombat or see one by the road

• Stop your vehicle in a safe area and switch on the hazard lights. 
• If the adult wombat is still alive but injured, great care is needed. A distressed and injured animal can be very dangerous. Unless you have training and equipment to help you manage the safe capture of an adult wombat, it is best to report the injured animal’s position to your local wildlife rescue organisation.
• If the animal is dead, turn the wombat gently onto its back and pull it off the road using the front paws.If it is a female, you will notice a small opening low on her belly. This is the pouch. Inside the pouch are two teats. If there has been no joey, both will be small and compact. If a joey is no longer there but has been recently you will notice that one teat is elongated, pale and flattened. This is a clue that there may have been a joey in the pouch at the time of the accident, but it has been big enough to leave the pouch and wander away. You should then search the bush nearby, although mobile joeys will be frightened and will try to escape.
• If there is a joey attached to the teat, phone your local wombat rescue organisation.