The Southern Hairy Nosed Wombat.

The southern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus latifrons) a robust animal with strong  digging claws is one Australia’s three species of wombats.

On section 13 we have 13 active seperate wombat warren systems, above is an image of four adult wombats on one system.

In South Australia the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat is primarily a plains dweller in the dryer areas  with a fragmented population across areas of semi-arid shrubland and Mallee in the Murray Mallee region and the Eyre and York Peninsulas. They are listed as a species under threat with their numbers dropping. The greatest threat to the species is currently Sarcoptic mange which in our area is readily spread by foxes transiting the warren systems.

Description - The Hairy-nosed Wombat is a stout and robust animal, approximately 750 to 900 mm long and can weigh up to 30 kg. They have been recorded to live in captivity up to 30 years old however in the wild they likely live around 15 years.

The wombat’s silky fur can be grey, tanned or sandy coloured with whitish patches beneath the eyes. The head is robust and flattened, ears pointed, and the snout - sort of piggy. The teeth of Southern Hairy-nosed Wombats continue to grow throughout their entire life, likely this is an adaptation to the tough and abrasive vegetation on woody plants that they feed on.   

Wombats make tracks for themselves, which they use on their night-time wanderings often from one Warren system to another. We have noted that their tracks seem to be broader than many kangaroo tracks and often is quite straight lines. They push their broad, blunt heads through or under most obstructions

Breeding – The Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat has a low rate of birth.

Females produce single young that lives in the pouch for six to seven months and is weaned after about a year, although in drought years the young animals may die, and reproduction may cease completely. The wombat gives birth to a single young, only 2 centimetres long, between September and January. The young wombat remains confined in its mother’s backward-pointing pouch for 5 months. Then it starts to venture out to accustom itself to adult food.

Young wombats live in their mother’s burrows for another 2 years before they are driven out. Below is an image of a juvine Hairy Nosed wombat on the roadway into Section 13.

Food - Like other wombats, this species eats grasses, forbs and sedges, but when these are not readily available it will also feed on woody shrubs. (from AWC site)

Plant material is often its only source of water.

Unfortunately often also associated with warren systems and the wombats movement are weeds. The seeds of horehound and onion weed transfer on the coat of the wombat and as such are quite prolific around the warrens.

Warren systems - A wombat digs deep cool and hubid burrow systems that are essential for it to survive in our semi arid conditions.  To make a warren with its fore claws while sitting up -  It leaves its new burrow backwards and pushes out soil with all its paws. 

 

The burrows of these wombat have temperatures around of 14 °C in winter even when the outside temperature can be below minus and on very hot summer days of 35 and above, they remain around 26 °C, the wombat's preferred thermo-neutral zone.   Warrens can make surface conditions in habitats of low humidity and high temperatures survivable for Wombats.

 A wombat retires deep in the burrow after foraging. By nightfall, the wombat moves to the entrance to check if conditions are right before emerging again In the evening, wombats leave their burrows as the ambient temperature and burrow temperature are the same. In the early morning, when the surface temperature is lower, they return.

These warrens are our wombats’ prime refuges and are shared by up to 10 individuals.  We have some images from cameras showing up to five wombats in the same system at the same time.

Threats

 

Two of the biggest threats to wombats in our area are roadkill and sarcoptic mange (a disease related to scabies). In addition, land clearance, predation, conflict with primary production: ie destruction of wombat warren systems in cropping areas and illegal shooting all have resulted in the decline of Wombats.

Below is an image from a wildlife camera of a wombat that likely has sarcopic mange

 

An image from a wildlfie camera of a Wombat and a Fox comming together at a burrow entrance. 

Interesting facts on diet ( from wiki) –

 

Wombats are also host to a diverse gut microbiome, which is thought to help them derive energy and essential nutrients from their poor diet. It has been estimated that the microbial fermentation of fibre in the wombat gut accounts for up to 60% of their daily energy requirements.  The harsh environment in which the southern hairy-nosed wombat lives is further reflected in its energetics. In captivity, their standard metabolic rate was found to be 130 kl/kg -0.75 per day, which is very low compared to most other marsupials.  As long as the wombat can find enough food the low-quality food can provide enough energy as It is more effective than a donkey at maintaining its weight on low-quality food.

Wombat Warrens

A wombat asleep in a warren.

Many native animals and some exotic species use wombat warrens for shelter and to access food.

We have observed, Geckos, sand Goannas, shingleback lizards, house mice, Foxes, echidnas, Willy Wagtails and White Winged Choughs all entering our coming out of warren systems.

Below are some images of animals caught on wildlife camera entering warrens for food or coming out of the warren systems (using them as shelter)

 

 

 

 

The animal emblem – site The Hairy nosed wombat was adopted by the South Australian Government as its faunal emblem on 27 August 1970.

Into my hole now - Good day!