8 amazing facts about wombats — the most unusual marsupials in Australia (10 photos)

Solid and stocky, short-legged chubby creatures, whose faces make you smile, are truly unique. Wombats are the only herbivores in the world that can dig complex burrows.





These cuties grow up to 1 meter in length and weigh up to 40 kilograms. Despite their clumsy appearance, the animals can accelerate to 40 km/h!

There are three species of wombats in the wild:

The common (bare-nosed) wombat is the most common;

The northern and southern hairy-nosed wombats are endangered.

1. They have a pouch... backwards



Unlike a kangaroo, a wombat's pouch opens backwards — this way, dirt doesn't get in when it digs holes. A baby (the size of a bean!) spends 6-10 months in the pouch before crawling out.

2. Cubic feces are their calling card





Yes, their droppings are shaped like cubes. This is the result of slow digestion (up to 18 days) and a special intestinal structure. Such "bricks" are convenient to use to mark territory.

3. They bite their partners on the butt



During the mating season, males chase females around in circles until they find the right moment to bite them on the rump. In hairy-nosed species, females bite males, signaling their readiness to mate.

4. Underground Architects



Their burrows are multi-level labyrinths with several entrances. Wombats dig up the earth with their front paws and exit backwards so as not to fill the passage. These tunnels are sometimes used by other animals, such as rabbits.

5. Teeth Grow Throughout Their Lives



Like rodents, their incisors never stop growing. This is an adaptation to hard food - wombats constantly wear down their teeth by chewing roots and bark.

6. They sleep during the day, walk at night



They are active at dusk, and sleep in burrows during the day. In winter, they can bask in the sun at the entrance, and in summer they avoid the heat.

7. The Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat is Critically Endangered



Unfortunately, there are less than 80 individuals of this species left in the wild. Their habitat is suffering from invasive plants, and competition with rabbits and livestock makes the situation worse.

8. Wombats are surprisingly fast and strong



When in danger, they rush into a burrow, plugging the entrance with their butt (the skin there is very thick). There are cases when wombats even crushed predators against the walls of the tunnel.



Wombats are amazing creatures. They build underground cities, produce "designer" feces and survive in conditions where others would not cope. It's a shame that two of the three species are endangered...