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Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Diprotondontia - koalas, wombats, possums, and macropods (kangaroos, wallabies, etc.)
Family: Vombatidae - wombats
Genus: Vombatus
Species: Vombatus ursinus - common wombat (or bare-nosed wombat)
Subspecies: V. u. ursinus
Subspecies: V. u. hirsutus
Subspecies: V. u. tasmaniensis
Genus: Lasiorhinus
Species: Lasiorhinus krefftii - northern hairy-nosed wombat
Subspecies: L. k. barnardi
Subspecies: † L. k. gillespiei (extinct)
Subspecies: † L. k. krefftii (extinct)
Species: Lasiorhinus latifrons - southern hairy-nosed wombat
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Body Weight
Common: 22-39 kg (48.5-86.0 lb)
Northern hairy-nosed, males: 28.6-33.4 kg (63.1-76.3 lb)
Northern hairy-nosed, females: 28.9-34.9 kg (63.7-76.9 lb)
Southern hairy-nosed, males: 19-36 kg (41.9-79.4 lb)
Southern hairy-nosed, females: 17.5-36 kg (38.6-79.4 lb)
Head-body Length
Common: 840-1150 mm (33.1-45.3 in)
Northern hairy-nosed, males: 1028-1130 mm (40.5-45.0 in)
Northern hairy-nosed, females: 1037-1125 mm (40.8- 44.3 in)
Southern hairy-nosed, males: 840-1110 mm (33.1-43.7 in)
Southern hairy-nosed, females: 850-1100 mm (33.5-43.3 in)
Tail Length
Common: 25 mm (1.0 in)
Northern hairy-nosed: 25 mm (1.0 in)
Southern hairy-nosed, males: 30-60 mm (1.2-2.4 in)
Southern hairy-nosed, females: 25-54 mm (1.0-2.1 in)
Pelage
Common wombat: hair long, thick, and coarse; yellow-gray to black
Northern hairy-nosed: hair short and silky; brown-gray with gray, brown, or black streaking
Southern hairy-nosed: hair short and silky; silver-gray or mottled brown-gray; neck and chest with white
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Range
Australia and Tasmania
Habitat
Forests, grasslands, and woodlands
IUCN Status
Common wombat: Least Concern (2024 assessment)
Southern hairy-nosed wombat: Least Concern (2024 assessment)
Northern hairy-nosed wombat: Critically Endangered (2015 assessment)
CITES Appendix
Common and southern hairy-nosed: Not listed
Northern hairy-nosed: Appendix I
Other Designations
See Conservation Status
Population in Wild
Common wombat: no recent population estimates reported
Southern hairy-nosed wombat: 100,000-300,000 mature individuals
Northern hairy-nosed wombat: about 250 individuals in the wild
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Locomotion
Walk on soles of their feet. Usually walk, but can move quickly.
Activity Cycle
Nocturnal. Spend a lot of time in underground burrows.
Social Groups
Solitary, except during breeding season. May feed in general proximity to other womats.
Diet
Herbivores: grasses, sedges, forbs, roots, and bulbs.
Predators
Humans, dingoes, wild dogs, red foxes, Tasmanian devils and quolls (Tasmania)
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Sexual Maturity
From 2 years old
Gestation
About 21-24 days
Litter Size
Usually 1
Interbirth Interval
Common wombat: breed once per year
Southern hairy-nosed: breed about once every 3 years
Northern hairy-nosed: more variable with rainfall; polyestrus
Birth Weight
About 0.4 g (0.014 oz)
Age at Weaning
Around 12 months
Typical Life Expectancy
Wild populations: Not well known. Possibly about 15 years but more research needed.
Managed care: common wombat, 12–15 years; southern hairy-nosed wombat, 10–15 years; northern hairy-nosed wombat: unknown.
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Feature Facts
- The only large, burrowing, herbivorous mammal
- Low energy requirements; use of burrows to avoid harsh temperature environments
- Muscular forelegs for digging
- Different wombat species have different burrow designs
- Small home range
- Use warning vocalizations and hostile posturing to avoid fights (rare)
- Northern hairy-nosed wombat is one of the world's rarest mammals; Critically Endangered
- Play observed in young wombats and wombats in managed care
- Common wombat is the species most commonly observed in zoos
- Oldest individuals in managed care can live 30 years or more (twice as long as wild wombats)
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