Wombats (lat. Vombatidae) are a family of two-incisor marsupials that live in Australia. Wombats are burrowing herbivores that resemble small bears in appearance.
Wombats reach a length of 70 to 120 cm and a weight of 20 to 40 kg. Their body is compactly built, their limbs are short and strong. Each of them has five fingers, of which the outer four are crowned with large claws adapted for digging the ground. The tail is short, the large head gives the impression of being slightly flattened, and the eyes are small.
Interestingly, the wombat's jaws and teeth show similarities to rodents. In the upper and lower rows, wombats have a pair of front cutting teeth. The chewing teeth are constructed very simply; there are no angular teeth. Wombats have the fewest teeth among marsupials.
Wombats are the largest living mammals that dig and spend most of their lives underground. With their sharp claws, they dig out small residential caves in the ground, which sometimes form complex tunnel systems.
An adult wombat has almost no natural enemies. One of the few is the human-introduced dingo. The back of a wombat's body is extremely hard due to thick skin, cartilage and bones. In case of danger, they can turn their backs, block their hole and repel most of the attackers, or crush their limbs against the walls of their living cave. In the back of the back, on pelvic bones, the wombat has a kind of shield that protects it when attacked from behind. He also delivers strong head blows - butting like a ram or a goat. If a dog crawls into his hole, he waits for it without leaving his spot, and then tries to drive it into a corner, against the wall of the hole, and strangle it there. Much more often, people, especially cars, are to blame for the death of a wombat. In areas where human impact is low, wombat numbers are determined by the availability of nutritious plants.
At short distances, wombats can reach speeds of up to 42 km/h, and can also escape from danger by swimming or climbing trees.
Wombats eat young shoots of grass. Sometimes roots, mosses and mushrooms are also eaten. Wombats have a very slow and efficient metabolism. It takes them 14 days to digest food. Wombats are the most efficient water consumers of all the mammals evolution has produced. They only need 22 ml of water per kg of body weight per day. Even such kangaroos, adapted to Australian conditions, consume four times more water.
There are five known extinct genera of wombats. Wombats appeared about 18 million years ago during the Miocene. The closest relatives of wombats are representatives of the family of marsupial bears (koalas). Wombats have numerous similarities with them in the structure of their teeth, skull and sperm. However, there are also a number of morphological differences indicating that the evolutionary lineages of koalas and wombats diverged approximately 36 million years ago. An even closer relative of wombats was Diprotodon, a giant rhino-sized marsupial that went extinct only about 40,000 years ago.
After the settlement of Australia by Europeans, the range of wombats decreased significantly. The reasons for this were the destruction of their habitats, competition with introduced species and hunting of wombats. Today, only 118 specimens of the Queensland wombat remain, living in a small nature reserve in Queensland. The other two species are more common and are not yet endangered (text - Wikipedia).
Wombats have lived on Earth for 18 million years and today are found only in Australia. They are the largest of the earth-moving mammals, the family of which includes three species: Lasiorhunus latifrons (long-haired), Vombatus ursinus (short-haired) and Lasiorhunus krefftii (Queensland).
Appearance and lifestyle
An adult wombat is the size of a small bear cub (body length is 0.7 - 1.2 m, and weight is from 20 to 40 kg). These animals are endowed with an incredibly attractive appearance: a plump body covered with thick, coarse hair, short clubbed legs and round button eyes make it irresistible.
Nature has endowed this marsupial with an excellent entrenching tool: its paws have large, strong claws that are convenient for digging the ground. Therefore, the wombat spends most of the day underground, coming to the surface for several hours to eat and sunbathe. The animal’s housing is a “multi-room” burrow-apartment, connected by underground passages.
This is interesting: There is a legend that the copper deposits of Australia were discovered thanks to wombats - people discovered pieces of metal near these animal burrows. Apparently, as a sign of gratitude, the residents of South Wales named one of the villages Wombat, and astronomers gave this name to the Main Belt asteroid.
The corridor tunnels dug by wombats reach 20 m in length and 3.5 m in depth, and the area they occupy can be up to 25 hectares. These representatives of marsupials do not live in flocks, but the burrows of neighboring families are usually located close to each other. Often passages belonging to different families intersect, then the animals use them together.
The wombat is a very slow animal by nature, but in a critical situation it is able to run at the speed of a car - up to 60 km/h, and can swim and climb trees. But in case of danger, he usually hurries to the hole, hides the upper part of his body in it, “plugging” the entrance with a thick loin. And if the enemy nevertheless penetrates the hole, the owner of the home is able to simply strangle him, pressing him against the wall with his powerful, hard butt. Actually, the wombat has practically no natural enemies, with the exception of the thunderstorm of all marsupials in Australia - the dingo dog.
Vombatus is a herbivore; it feeds on grass, plant roots, berries, and mushrooms. It has few teeth, only 12, but the divided upper lip allows it to “cut” grass almost at ground level. Wombats have a very efficient and therefore slow metabolism. It takes them almost 2 weeks to digest food. This animal drinks very little water, only 22 ml per kilogram of weight per day, second only to the camel in terms of economy.
Interesting fact: The wombat's digestive tract is very unusual. In its intestine there are horizontal folds and grooves, so feces are formed in the form of cubes; per day this earth-moving marsupial produces from 80 to 100 dry compact “bricks”. Cube poop does not roll off the surface of a stone or log, which allows the animal to use it as a means of marking territory.
Raising offspring
The average lifespan of Vombatus is 15-18 years, it reaches sexual maturity by 3 years. The female carries the pregnancy for a little less than a month, resulting in the birth of one, or less often, two cubs weighing about 0.5 kg.
The offspring spends more than six months in the mother's pouch, where they are provided with warmth, food and protection. The wombat's pouch has two nipples, and the entrance hole is turned backwards. This gives the mother the opportunity to do excavation work when her offspring is “staying at home.”
After the cub has grown up and is able to eat on its own, it moves into a hole, where the mother brings grass and roots for it, having previously crushed them with her teeth. The period of raising the offspring lasts about a year, then the young wombat goes to “free bread”.
Domestication and captivity
Wombats are peaceful and only show aggression in situations that they consider dangerous. Australians often keep these marsupials as pets. Tame animals become attached to the owner and accompany him like devoted little dogs. A city apartment is not suitable for keeping them, best place habitat there will be a vast garden area where you can dig holes and shelters.
Amusing features of the wombat: Domestic wombats often become lovers of foods that are not available to them under natural conditions. The English naturalist Charles Cornish in his book “The Animal World” described real story, like a wombat addicted to milk, he constantly looked for the coveted drink in the house, drank as much as he could, and took a bath with the leftovers.
Vombatus are prohibited from being exported from Australia. They can be purchased, having received special permission, only by a reputable zoo in which the animal will be guaranteed proper living conditions. In its homeland, an adult wombat can be bought for $500÷1000.
More funny wombats in our photo gallery.
Wombats, or wombats (Vombatidae) are representatives of the family of marsupial mammals, which belong to the order of two-incisors, living mainly in Australia. All wombats are burrowing, completely herbivorous animals, resembling very miniature bears or fairly large hamsters in appearance.
Description of the wombat
Mammals from the order Two-incisor marsupials and the Wombat family lived on our planet more than ten million years ago, which directly indicates the unusual originality and uniqueness of such an animal. Many species of wombats have already disappeared, so at present, only two genera of the wombat family are representatives of the modern fauna: the short-haired wombat and the long-haired or Queensland wombat.
Appearance
Wombats are typical representatives of herbivorous mammals. Average weight an adult animal weighs 20-40 kg with a length ranging from 70-120 cm. The wombat has a fairly dense and compact build, has a small body, a large head and four well-developed, powerful limbs. Wombats are characterized by the presence of a small tail, which is considered to be undeveloped. The coat of such a mammal is gray or ashen in color.
This is interesting! The back part of the herbivore is built in a special way - it is here that there is a significant amount of bones and cartilage, covered with very hard skin, which serves the wombat as a kind of protective shield.
When there is a threat of natural enemies entering the hole of such an unusual animal, wombats, as a rule, expose their back parts and thus protect or block the passage to their home. Due to its impressive size, the rear part can also be used as a weapon to crush the enemy. Despite their short legs, wombats reach speeds of up to 40 km/h when moving, and are also able to climb a tree and even swim quite well.
The head area of such funny and compact “bears” also attracts attention.. The head is very large compared to the size of the body, but slightly flattened, with beady eyes on the sides. In case of real danger, a wombat is capable of not only defending itself, but also quite effectively attacking with its head, using characteristic goring movements for this purpose.
The jaws, as well as the teeth of a mammal, in their structure and appearance are very similar to the primary food processing organs of rodents. Among other marsupials, wombats have the fewest teeth: the upper and lower rows are characterized by the presence of a pair of cutting-type front teeth, as well as chewing teeth. At the same time, the animal completely lacks traditional angular teeth.
This is interesting! Wombats are rightfully famous for their art of digging, and can easily create entire underground labyrinths. It is for this reason that wombats are often called the most talented and largest diggers.
The wombat's limbs are very strong and muscular, quite strong, having claws that are located on all five toes of each paw. A well-developed skeleton of the limbs plays a very important role in the life of a mammal. Using their paws, adult miniature “bears” are able to dig comfortable and spacious holes. The tunnels they dig often reach a length of 18-20 meters and a width of 2.5-3.0 meters. Representatives of the order Two-incisor marsupials and the Wombat family deftly build unique underground “palaces” in which entire families live.
Wombat lifestyle
Wombats lead a predominantly underground and nocturnal lifestyle, so the main condition when choosing a habitat is the presence of dry soil in the complete absence of overly large stones, groundwater and tree roots. The wombat spends a significant part of the day inside its burrow. Rest and sleep are carried out during the day, and when darkness sets in, the mammal goes upstairs, warms up or refreshes itself.
All representatives of wombats prefer to live in fairly large groups, so the territory for their life activities occupies a very impressive size. The boundaries of its territory, which can be several tens of hectares, are marked with peculiar square excrement of the animal. By their nature, wombats are friendly and have absolutely no fear of humans, which is why they are often kept as exotic pets.
Lifespan
As perennials show Scientific research and naturalistic observations, the average life expectancy of a wombat in natural conditions does not exceed fifteen years. In captivity, a mammal can live for almost a quarter of a century, but the duration depends on the conditions of detention and the characteristics of the diet.
Types of wombats
Currently, the family includes three modern species, which are combined into two genera:
- Genus Lasiorhinus. Long-haired, or woolly-nosed, or hairy-nosed wombats (Lasiorhinus) are animals from the genus of marsupial mammals. A fairly large animal with a body length of 77-100 cm, a tail length of 25-60 mm and a weight of 19-32 kg. The fur is soft and long, brown-gray on the back, and white on the chest and cheeks. The ears are small and triangular in shape;
- Genus Vombatus. Short-haired, or bare-nosed, or Tasmanian wombats (Vombatus ursinus) are animals belonging to the species of marsupial mammals. The only modern representative of the genus of bare-nosed wombats.
This is interesting! The closest relatives of the representatives of wombats included Diprotodon, but this simply gigantic representative of marsupials died out about forty thousand years ago.
Today, just over a hundred individuals remain of the Queensland wombat population, which are kept in a small reserve in Queensland. The broad-browed wombat from the genus Lasiоrinus is about a meter long, has light gray skin and original, pointed ears.
Range, habitats
The ancestors of wombats were small in size, settled in trees, and moved from one branch to another using long tails, like all monkeys, or hooked onto the stem part of plants using their big toes. This feature affected the range and habitats of the modern mammal.
The least studied Australian marsupials, the long-haired or woolly-nosed wombat, are found in south-eastern South Australia and western Victoria, as well as south-western New South Wales and southern and central Queensland. There are three known subspecies of the genus Vombatus or short-haired wombats: Vombatus ursinus hirsutus, which lives in Australia, Vombatus ursinus tasmaniensis, which lives in Tasmania, and Vombatus ursinus ursinus, which inhabits only Flinders Island.
Wombat diet
Wombats very readily eat young grass shoots. Sometimes mammals also eat plant roots and mosses, berries and mushrooms. Thanks to such an anatomical feature as the division of the upper lip, wombats are able to very accurately and competently select their diet.
This is interesting! The animal's front teeth can reach directly to ground level, which is very convenient for cutting even the smallest green shoots. A well-developed sense of smell also plays an important role when choosing food at night.
It should be noted that representatives of wombats are characterized by slow, but at the same time very effective metabolic processes. It takes about two weeks for a mammal to fully digest all the food it eats. In addition, wombats are by far the most economical consumers of water of all mammals currently living on our planet (after the camel, of course). An adult animal needs about 20-22 ml of water per day for every kilogram of body weight. However, wombats have a hard time withstanding the cold.
Wombats are cute and charming animals, a bit like little teddy bears and pigs at the same time.
Surely everyone has seen photos of wombats, but only a few know where and how these funny animals live.
Wombats are the closest relatives of koalas. Today, wombats are considered the largest of mammals that spend most of their lives in burrows.
The animals prefer a nocturnal lifestyle, and during the daytime they rest in their underground burrows.
By the way, their underground dwelling cannot simply be called a burrow. Wombats build entire underground settlements with a complex system of streets and tunnels. Animals live in large families in their labyrinths.
Where do wombats live?
Australia is considered the homeland of wombats; they can also be found on the island of Tasmania. IN modern world There are only two species of the wombat family left.
In particular:
- short-haired wombats;
- long-haired wombats, including the Queensland genus.
Types of wombats
The Queensland subspecies of wombat is one of the rarest animals on Earth. Today, there are only 115 individuals living in the national reserve in Queensland.
Just a few centuries ago there was much more in the world various types wombats, but their representatives could not survive to this day.
Appearance and lifestyle of wombats
Animals, depending on the species and age, reach a length from 70 to 125 cm, and the weight of adult individuals ranges from 20 to 45 kg
Small “bears” are quite dense, have a small and compact body, covered with gray or brown fur.
Wombats have an original head structure. In relation to the body, it is disproportionately large in size, the shape of the skull is slightly flattened, and there are small black eyes on the sides.
When a wombat believes it is in danger, it will butt its head.
The animal's paws are strong and muscular with 5 strong large claws. With the help of their claws, wombats are excellent at digging numerous underground shelters. Wombats also have a small tail.
Funny animals go out at night for food, sleep during the day or simply hide in holes.
Wombats do not tolerate cold well. What they do very well is climb trees and even swim in water.
What do animals eat
Wombats are classic vegetarians. The structure of the jaws of wombats is similar to the teeth of all rodents. They have four large front cutting fangs - a pair on top and bottom, as well as simple chewing teeth. They eat young grass, sweet roots, mushrooms, fresh moss, and various fruits of bushes.
Wombats practically do not need water; the animals need the juice of grass and berries for normal life. The process of digesting food in wombats is slow; sometimes food remains in the animals’ stomachs for up to 12-14 days.
Character of wombats
The animals are considered friendly; they have practically no enemies in their habitat. The positive and peaceful nature of wombats changes to a very aggressive one if someone tries to enter their territory.
The bears take on a menacing appearance, and if the situation does not improve, the animal begins to “moo” in a peculiar way and tries to defeat its ill-wishers with strong head pushes.
How do wombats reproduce?
The mating season of wombats lasts from May to August. The female's pregnancy lasts about 3 weeks, after which a single baby is born.
Wombats are marsupials. The female has a pouch on her back, it is deployed in such a way that it is easy for the wombat cub to hold and the earth does not fall into it during land work.
A small wombat grows in a pouch for up to 8 months, completely surrounded by warmth, care and attention. And then he stays near his parents for about another year.
And only when the baby grows up to two years old and becomes fully grown, does he leave his parents to have a baby himself.
How long do wombats live in their natural habitat?
In nature, wombats live 15-16 years; in captivity, small “cubs” can live up to half a century. The only enemies of wombats in Australia that can end the animal's life are dingoes.
However, much more often wombats become victims of cars, especially at night, when they emerge from their burrows.
Also, modern ecology and the gradual destruction of their habitats have a detrimental effect on wombats, forcing the animals to try food that is not familiar and rational for them, and to move to other territories.
And for animals, the main thing is dry soil without underground sources and deposits of stones.
In Australia, there are many national programs to protect and rescue these unique animals.
A small town in Australia, a newly discovered asteroid, a young indie rock band, and even an anti-tank gun used in the British army are named after these funny and funny animals.
That's what he is - a small, but curious and beloved animal by all.
Photos of wombats
Outwardly similar to a tiny bear and a hamster at the same time. They live underground, carry their young in a pouch, and are capable of defeating even a dog.
Description of the wombat
The wombat has a body up to 130 centimeters long and weighing up to 45 kilograms. There are several species of wombats, of which the largest is the broad-fronted one. In ancient times, there were even more species and the existence of an animal weighing up to 200 kg, which lived approximately 11,000 years ago, was proven. In general, wombats appeared about 18 million years ago and had many species, among which was a giant, the size of a rhinoceros.
Modern wombats seem fat and rather clumsy. In fact, this is not entirely true. The wombat's body has a compact build and allows it not only to run well, but also to climb trees and swim. While running, a wombat can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h!
The color of a given animal greatly depends on the specific species. However, all representatives have predominant shades of gray or brown. The fur is thick, smooth, evenly covering almost the entire body. The vast majority of wombats even have fur on their noses.
Wombats have very strong paws with five fingers and powerful claws. Their shape is fully adapted for efficient digging of the earth.
Wombat lifestyle
Wombats live in burrows that they dig themselves. The structure of the burrow is complex and often consists of a whole system of passages. When two or more wombats live in a small area, the passages of their burrows may intersect. In this case, all “owners” use them. Burrows are used by wombats as permanent places of residence and refuge from possible danger.
Historically, wombats have virtually no natural enemies. The threat comes only from the dingo introduced by people and the Tasmanian devil, a strong local predator. Despite their small size, wombats are capable of defending themselves well, and they do so in a very unconventional way.
In the back of the body of all wombats there is a very hard “lining” of thick skin, cartilage and bones. It is very difficult to damage it with teeth or claws, so the wombat closes the entrance to the cave with its back part of its body and blocks the entrance for the vast majority of uninvited guests. If penetration into the home does occur, then the guest may not come back out. A wombat can corner and strangle even a Dingo dog. In addition to applying pressure with the rear "shield", he can deliver strong blows with his forehead, acting like cattle.
The wombat is a herbivorous animal. Like other marsupials, it feeds on grass, leaves and roots. The diet also includes various mushrooms, berries and moss. For full life, a wombat requires a record small amount of water.
Wombats and humans
Despite their fighting qualities, wombats are distinguished by their good-natured disposition. Tamed animals love affection and stroking, getting used to humans quite easily. Local residents often keep wombats as pets. With some diligence, this animal can even be trained! However, it is not recommended to come into close contact with wild animals. A heavy and strong wombat, armed with claws, can pose a danger even to an adult.
The wombat population overall is not declining. However, with the increasing presence of humans on the Australian mainland, a separate species, the Queensland one, almost disappeared. Now there are about a hundred of its representatives living in a specialized reserve in Queensland.
