Wambat

Wambat Out and About

The Wallaby is a type of small marsupial found in Australia.  There are two genera and several species of wombat.  They are also found in Tasmania.  In Australia they found in the Southeasat mountainous and heathland areas.  The wombats weigh between 44 and 77 lbs.   That is 20-35 kg.   Wombats are about a meter or 3 feet 3 inches long.  They are a gray or grayish brown in color. 

The wambat in today's drawing is looking at some spinofex grass.  Wombats eat about any plant.  They eat both grass and shrubery.  They also eat at plant roots.  They have an interesting defense.  They have a rump that is tough and mostly cartiladge. When attacked they dive into a burrow and block the entrance with their tough rump.  If the predator tries to come after them they will sometimes let the predator get its head by and then the wombats use their tough rump to crush the predator's head into the side of the tunnel.  This will sometimes crush the predator's skull.  Predators on wombats include dingos and Tasmanian Devils.   Invasive species like foxes also prey on wombats.  

You can see eucalyptus trees and spinofex grass, and Wichetty Bush.  Wichetty Bush is a type of Acacia tree or shrub.   I'm actually not sure which of the pictured plants are eaten by wambats.  Wambats do eat snow grass, kangaroo grass, and wallaby grass.  

Wambats eat 3 to 4 hours a night.  They are nocturnal animals.  They have a very slow digestive system taking like ten days to fully digest something they ate.  Even though they have a slow metabolism and walk quite slow, however, when threatened they can run at like 25 mph or 40 kph.   

Then, as mentioned, they dive into a burrow and block the tunnel with their powerful posterior. 

NOTE:  This wombat was drawn while we were in Australia.  It is a better drawing than my first attempt.  We saw wambats at the zoo, but not in the wild.  They are nocturnal and very secretive.  I guess this drawing is of a wambat that is about to go to bed.  It is approaching dawn and already you can see a bird flying in the early morning sky.   Printable versions of this drawing are found by clicking on the top buttons labeled . . . . All Printables. . . or . . . . Animals. . . . or . . . Australian Animals.