The Common
Wombat
Vombatus ursinus as its name suggests is the most commonly found wombat.
It is distinguishably from its cousins the Southern, and Northern Hairy nosed wombats mainly by its nose which is "naked", smaller ears and a more rounded head and longer fur due to its living in a colder part of Australia

DESCRIPTION
These marsupials are strong, stout and sturdy and built close to the ground, and can move most things in their way (like farmers fences) so hence their "nick name" of the "Bulldozers of the Bush"! Adults weigh in between 17kg and 40kg in a body length of between 80 cm and 130 cm with the males being a bit larger than the females. Common wombats in Tasmania and on Flinders Island are normally a little smaller than those found on the mainland. They have short legs with long strong claws excellent for digging. Their tail is just a stump, and the colouring of their coarse fur ranges through the browns, greys and fawns to black

LOCATION AND HABITAT
The common wombat is found in South eastern Australia in the states of New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and in south eastern South Australia. They live in forested areas (woodlands, Eucalypt, heathland, coastal scrub etc) where the soil is burrowable. This type of land is often hilly and wet and they love to place their burrows under trees above creek beds

TUNNELLING
Their tunnels are an amazing engineering feat, being from 2 to 20 meters in length with various connecting and sub tunnel branches. One wombat may have a minor tunnel (warren) just for emergency escapes and also a major burrow set-up with sleeping quarters and more than one entrance. Normally only one wombat lives in a warren and he will mark his land by dropping scats in plain view and scratching trees.

BEHAVIOUR
The common wombat like all wombats are basically nocturnal, but during cooler times can be seen early morning or late afternoon. They are territorial and will scent, mark and vocalise their home range, and if another wombat comes into its range snorts and screeches hopefully drives off the intruder.

FEEDING
Wombats being herbivorous eat mainly grass, but also eat other plant material such as shrubs, roots, barks and moss.
Typically they will spend many hours each night browsing for food in its home range.


BREEDING Being a marsupial the wombat has a pouch, though unlike kangaroos etc the wombats pouch faces backward so no dirt gets in when it is tunnelling Despite having 2 teats in the pouch common wombats only give birth to 1 young at a time. Gestation period is around 20 to 30 days and the young then stays in the pouch for a further 6 months Wombats reach sexual maturity at 2 years, and it is thought wombats usually live around 5 years in the wild.

PRESERVATION
Like all Australian mammals the common wombat is a protected species. There numbers are under threat from - Road accidents clearing of land Agriculture poisons meant for rabbits or dingos wild dogs competition with rabbits for food Drought starvation outbreaks of Mange


To go back to the WOMBAT HOMEPAGE -click here

The Y2U information and pictures on Wombats
Russells Burrow "great informative site"
Queensland Museum - Northern Hairy Nosed Wombat
Wombania's Wombat Information Center