Photo: Eva Hejda.
Although the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat appears a slow and bumbling animal, it is incredibly alert to the slightest sound or unusual scent. When disturbed, it can run as fast as 40 km per hour over short distances.
These wombats spend their day inside a humid burrow and only come out in the evening when the temperature and humidity are low enough so that they do not lose body water through evaporation.
Southern Hairy-nosed Wombats dig out extensive burrow systems, the entrances of which are usually clustered to form a large central warren with smaller warrens surrounding it at a radius of 100 to 150 m.
Up to ten wombats will live in a warren, and usually equal numbers of males and females. Male wombats appear to stay at their home warren, whereas females will reside in adjacent warrens for varying periods. Aggression in wombats seems to be restricted to males during the breeding season.
Most wombat babies are born from late September to December. The single baby remains in the mother's pouch for six to nine months. Weaning occurs at about one year of age, and both sexes mature at about three years of age.
An increase in the adult population of the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat requires three consecutive years of effective rainfall. This allows females to provide milk, as well as for plentiful food to be available at the time of weaning, and for good pasture at the time of maximum growth for the young wombat.
Foundation Projects
Disease Management for Southern Hairy-nosed Wombats
From September 2009 to September 2010 the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife provided funds to the Wombat Awareness Organisation to undertake the treatment of wombats in the Murraylands of South Australia affected with Sarcoptic Mange. This is the second largest and most isolated population of Southern Hairy-nosed Wombats in South Australia.
