Where does the common wombat live?
The common wombat lives in Australia: on the mainland, in Tasmania and on Flinders and Maria Islands in the Bass Strait. It inhabits varied habitats: rainforest, eucalyptus forest, woodland, alpine grassland and coastal areas. In Tasmania it prefers heathland, coastal scrub and open forest. In some regions it has adapted to farmland and can be seen grazing in open fields.
What does the common wombat eat?
The common wombat is herbivorous and mainly nocturnal. It lives in burrows and is the largest burrowing mammal: it has short, strong legs with long claws, which make it a very efficient digger. Like all marsupials, its young, the joey, lives in the mother's pouch for about five months. It is a sturdy animal with small eyes, small ears and a large bald nose.
Is the common wombat endangered?
No: the IUCN lists it as Least Concern. Scientists estimate that around 1.3 million common wombats remain in the wild, more than two thirds of them on islands, Tasmania included. Numbers are, however, declining nationally.
