A resident of the Australian expanses, the wombat is an animal that immediately has an incredibly moving emotional muzzle and a look resembling a teddy bear.
This representative of the family of double-marsupial marsupials appeared on Earth almost 18 million years ago and has survived to this day, practically without undergoing any radical changes. Find out more about the existence of these unique herbivores.
Wombat: photo. Animal and its features
Wombats found in southern and eastern Australia are found in many states of the continent where there is land suitable for digging holes. The closest relatives of marsupial bears are koalas, these animals are very similar to them, but according to scientists, their evolutionary lines diverged long before the appearance of the species known today.
These cute "cubs" reach a length of 0.7 to 1.2 m and weigh from 20 to 40 kg. Nature thoughtfully arranged their compact body, providing them with short and strong flat limbs ending with five fingers, crowned with strong claws adapted for digging holes. The description is complemented by a short undeveloped tail, an impressive head, giving the impression of a little flattened from the sides, and small eyes.
Kinds
The uniqueness of these animals is emphasized by the small number of their species. Wombat is an animal of Australia, not found anywhere else in the world. There are only four types of this marsupial:
- Ordinary, or large. The main features are stiff hair, rounded short ears and the absence of hair in a small area of the muzzle. Jaws and teeth of this species are similar in structure to rodents. A pair of classic long incisors are located in the center of the upper and lower rows.
- Tasmanian. The species is the most thermophilic and rare, although it used to be very common. Found in Tasmania and Flinders Island.
- Broad-faced. Also a rare species, spreading only in South Australia. It was exterminated due to soft silky hair.
- Lesser Wombat is a species found in Queensland.
Lifestyle
The marsupial animal wombat is the largest of the mammals that dig holes and spend a significant part of their life underground. Perhaps it was precisely this way of life that made it possible to preserve this unique population to the present.
With strong and sharp claws, they are able to dig complex passages, small caves and tunnels in the ground. The holes that the wombat digs are similar to badger holes: ornate corridors of various lengths (from 3 to 30 meters) lead to the room used by the wombat as housing. There he arranges a cozy nest for himself.
Wombat is a nocturnal animal. Activity increases with the onset of night, when he begins to search for food, moving fast enough. Sometimes these amazing "Australians" develop a high speed - up to 40 km / h, however, only at short distances. It is difficult to see them during the day, as they rest in their caves.
What do little bears eat?
Wombat is a gourmet animal. He is picky and seeks out young tender shoots of herbs, the sweet roots of some plants, wild berries and mushrooms. The structure of the upper lip, divided into two parts, allows wombats to choose exactly the food that they like, since the front teeth of the animal can freely reach the smallest sprout or root. Not the last role in finding food in wombats is the sense of smell.
These unique animals have the same incredible but effective metabolism. Digestion of food at the wombat lasts 14 days.
And in terms of water consumption, these “Australians” are leaders among mammals after a camel: on average, 0.5-0.7 l of water per kg of body weight per day is enough for normal functioning of the body.
Wombat enemies and methods of protection
The Australian "little bear" in nature has virtually no natural enemies. The main opponents can be considered the dingo and the Tasmanian devil. Nature took care of protecting the wombat, creating a kind of carapace from the back of the body, inventing an unusual combination of bones and cartilage covered with extremely hard skin. Sensing danger, they turn around backwards, blocking the entrance to the hole, and successfully repel the attacks of the attackers. If an uninvited guest crawls into a hole, the wombat skillfully drives him into a corner and seeks to strangle him with the help of the same protective “device”.
He is able to inflict the
most powerful head
blows , acting like a goat, which also leads to the flight or death of the victim.
Breeding
Wombats do not have distinct periods for reproduction. This process can occur anytime, anywhere. Wombat is a monogamous animal. The mother touchingly takes care of the cub and leaves no worries about him until he reaches puberty - two years of age. Offspring up to 6–8 months old is in the mother’s bag, and when it is released, it stays with the mother for more than a year. The life span of this interesting animal in nature reaches 15 years, and individuals in captivity can live up to 25.
I must say that for Australians, wombat (photo) is an almost domestic animal, because it often lives next to people, getting to them for various reasons, sometimes tragic.