There are two species of hairy-nosed wombats — the Northern Hairy-nosed Lasiorhinus krefftii and Southern Hairy-nosed Lasiorhinus latifrons. Neither of them have hair on their noses, although there's short hair in their nostrils. The Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat once had a broad range across the three eastern mainland Australian states.
The name implies there are a lot around but in truth they're in decline, although they're listed by the IUCN as a species of Least Concern. A Bare-nosed Wombat. Wombats live in a variety of habitats — forests, alpine mountains, heathlands and coastal shrublands. The Bare-nosed Wombat prefers wetter forested areas, whereas the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat lives in more arid regions.
Wombats excavate these burrows in well-drained soils, often near creeks and gullies. They dig soil with the long claws on their forelegs and push it out with their back legs.
They then roll on their sides to dig the walls. During the breeding season chambers become nests, softened with grass and leaf-litter. Most wombats are solitary but some burrows can house a colony of ten individuals.
Like their relatives, Koalas, they sleep a lot — around 16 hours a day. They mark the boundary with scent trails and cube-shaped scats. Wombats are nocturnal herbivores with fairly poor eyesight — they rely on smell to navigate and find food. Marking their territory with scats is important to avoid conflict.
When faced with an intruder, they grunt at the wombat, chase and bite at the ears and rump. They can travel 3km a night to eat grass, shoots, roots and shrubs watch some eating take place below. Wombats are short-legged, muscular marsupials native to Australia. They are mainly nocturnal, emerging at night to feed on grasses, herbs, bark, and roots.
There are three species of wombat: the common wombat Vombatus ursinus is the most numerous and widespread and has a bare nose. The northern hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus krefftii and the southern hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus latifrons are distinguished by their hairy noses, softer fur, and larger ears. Wombats grow to about 40 inches long and can weigh between 44 and 77 pounds. They're unusual, even for marsupials. Read on to learn what makes these cute, pudgy critters so special.
Green, E. Lasiorhinus latifrons. Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Accessed November 25, at animaldiversity.
Wombats are nocturnal and emerge to feed at night on grasses, roots, and bark. They have two rodentlike incisors that never stop growing. They're kept in check by gnawing on some of their tougher vegetarian fare.
For reasons not well understood, their feces is cube-shaped. The field and pasture damage caused by wombat burrowing can be a nuisance to ranchers and farmers. Wombats have been hunted for this behavior, as well as for their fur and simply for sport. The common wombat is still hunted as vermin. Space for all wombats is at a premium as farm and ranch lands increasingly replace natural space. All rights reserved. Common Name: Common Wombat.
Scientific Name: Vombatus ursinus. Type: Mammals. Diet: Herbivore. Group Name: Mob, colony. Size: 28 to 47 inches. Weight: 32 to 80 pounds. Size relative to a 6-ft man:. Least concern. Least Concern Extinct.
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