The southern hairy-nosed wombat is the smallest one of three existing species of wombats in Australia. They are a stout and robust animal with strong claws adapted to digging. Despite their slow appearance they can run up to 40kmh, faster than the majority of people. Distributed patchily in areas of semi-arid shrubland and Mallee, populations are highly fragmented. The greatest threat to the species is currently Sarcoptic mange as can occur in our domestic pets. In some areas mange has killed off up to 80% of the population. The species lives in extensive underground burrow systems which can contain several individuals. Females produce a single young that lives in the pouch for six to seven months and is weaned after about a year, although in drought years reproduction may cease completely. Their teeth continue to grow throughout their entire life which is required due to the tough and abrasive vegetation that they feed on. They are a long-lived species reaching up to 15 years in the wild but they breed at a slow rate.
Quick Facts
Diet
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Colour
Vary from beige , tan, cream to black
Weight
10-15kgs
Lifespan
7-10 in the wild but up to 16 in captivity
Predators
Humans, crocodiles, birds of prey take pups.
Conservation Status
Endangered
Distribution
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Habitat
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Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged.