Bare-Nosed Wombat
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Vombatus Ursinus
"bear-like wombat"

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other names

Naked-Nosed Wombat, Island Wombat, Hill Wombat
Common Wombat or Forest Wombat

DESCRIPTION

Head and body length 900-1150mm, tail around 25mm long and barely visible under fur. Weight from 20 to 40kg. Large naked nose, narrow nasal bone. Short ears, slightly rounded. Short legs with large muscular body.

The Bare-Nosed Wombat is a large burrowing marsupial. It is commonly found in the south eastern side of Australia (NSW, Victoria and Tasmania) but can also be found at the very south eastern corner of Queensland and the south eastern corner of South Australia. It's main habitat is forested, often mountainous areas that are suitable for burrowing. Wombat burrows vary in location and size, usage and function, and one wombat can frequent up to fifteen burrows within its home range. "Minor" burrows are short in length and have usually been aborted for some reason (eg: poor ground). "Medium" burrows (around 2-5 metres long) are normally used for temporary refuge (eg: when the wombat is in danger) and "major" burrows (around 20 metres long) are used for diurnal shelter. Many major burrows contain more than one bedding chamber and have several entrances and underground connecting tunnels. Wombats are solitary creatures but do share burrows with other wombats that have overlapping territories, although they rarely co-inhabite the same burrow at the same time. Wombats are predominately nocturnal, emerging above ground at night when it is cool. In cooler months the wombat will emerge during the day to bask or graze in the sun. The Bare-Nosed Wombat feeds mainly on grass, herbivorous plants and the roots of shrubs or trees. During the grazing period the wombat can travel up to five kilometres within it's home range. Breeding may occur at any time of the year, but slows down in times of drought. The wombat has a rear opening pouch which contains two teats but usually only one young is born. It remains in the pouch for around six months and at heel for up to another twelve months. Bare-Nosed Wombats become sexually mature after two years and may live at least five years in the wild and up to twenty in captivity. Wombats are a protected species in NSW.