The Common Wombat (Vombatus Ursinus) a native Australian Marsupial, is a stout, sturdy animal with a large blunt head. It has small ears and a very short tail. It has short, stubby but very powerful legs with broad claws which it uses for digging. Wombats grow to about 1.3 meters in length and can weigh up to 36-40 kgs for an adult male. The female has a backward facing pouch to prevent dirt from entering while digging. This pouch is where she carries her Joey (young) till emergence at approximately 7-10 months. .
Wombats are nocturnal animals and have very poor eyesight. They are perceived as a slow animal and not very dangerous. This however is very wrong as they can cause a nasty bite and are capable of running at a speed of up to 40 klms per hour. If you find one in a burrow, it is wise to leave it undisturbed. Prevent your dogs from going down the burrow as the dog will often come off worse for wear, or may even be killed, as the wombat will crush the dog to the roof of the burrow as a form of self defense. Wombats live in burrows which maybe up to 30 meters long and several meters deep usually dug in the side of gullies in well drained soil.
Wombats are herbivore animals grazing on native grass's, roots of shrubs and leaves. They may wander over a territory of up to 3 kilometers a night searching for food before returning to their burrows. Although wombats may share their burrows, they are possessive about feeding territories. They mark these areas by leaving smells and droppings around the edge of their territory, snorting and snarling at any intruder in their territory.
