Wombats - Facts for Kids

Basic Information

Wombats are marsupial mammals that carry their babies in pouches, just like kangaroos and koalas!

There are three living species of wombats: the Common Wombat, the Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat, and the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat!

A group of wombats is called a wisdom!

Wombats belong to the family Vombatidae, and they’ve been around for millions of years!

Adult male wombats are called jacks, females are called jills, and babies are called joeys!

The scientific name for the Common Wombat is Vombatus ursinus, which means “bear-like wombat”!

Wombats can live up to 15 years in the wild and over 20 years in captivity!

Wombats are herbivores, which means they only eat plants!

The name “wombat” comes from the Aboriginal Darug people of Australia!

Wombats are mostly found in the southeastern parts of Australia, including Tasmania!

Physical Characteristics

Common Wombats can weigh between 20 and 35 kilograms (44 to 77 pounds), about as heavy as a medium-sized dog!

Wombats have backwards-facing pouches so they don’t fill with dirt while digging!

A wombat’s front teeth never stop growing, just like a rabbit‘s!

Wombats have very tough bottoms made of cartilage, which they use as a shield when threatened!

An adult wombat is about 1 meter (3.3 feet) long, about the size of a medium dog!

Wombats have poor eyesight but excellent senses of smell and hearing!

A wombat’s pouch is super stretchy! By the time a joey is ready to peek out at around five months old, it can weigh 3.5 to 6.5 kilograms (about 8 to 14 pounds) — and the pouch still carries it!

Wombats have special padding on their bottoms made of thick cartilage that protects them when they run into their burrows!

Wombats have powerful claws that can dig through even hard soil and roots!

A wombat’s nose is big, bare, and hairless — perfect for sniffing out food like grasses and roots!

Behavior & Intelligence

Wombats are mostly nocturnal, which means they’re most active at night!

Each wombat maintains a territory of about 23 hectares (57 acres), which they mark with their cube-shaped poop!

Wombats can run at speeds up to 40 kilometers per hour (25 miles per hour) for short distances!

Wombats communicate with each other using scents and sounds, including grunts, growls, and hisses!

A wombat can block its burrow entrance with its tough bottom to protect itself from predators!

Wombats can swim if they need to, like when crossing a creek, but they’re not great at it and don’t hold their breath for very long!

Wombats usually live alone but sometimes share their burrows with other wombats!

A single wombat can dig several burrows within its territory to use as different homes!

Wombats spend about 3 to 8 hours each day eating!

Wombats have lots of whiskers on their noses — and because they don’t see well in the dark, those whiskers help them feel their way around!

Habitat & Survival

Wombat burrows can be up to 30 meters (98 feet) long and 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) deep!

Wombats create different chambers in their burrows for sleeping and nursing babies!

Wombat burrows stay comfy all year long — usually between 10°C and 27°C (50–80°F), no matter how hot or cold it is outside!

Wombats prefer to live in forests, mountains, and heathland areas where they can dig their burrows!

A single wombat might have up to 12 burrows in its territory!

Wombat burrows often have multiple entrances and emergency exits!

Wombats can survive in areas where temperatures range from below freezing to over 40°C (104°F)!

Wombats create networks of trails through their territory that they use night after night!

During hot weather, wombats spend more time in their cool burrows and come out mainly at night!

Life Cycle

Baby wombats stay in their mother’s pouch for 8 to 9 months!

A baby wombat is only about the size of a jelly bean when it’s born!

Young wombats start eating grass at about 8–9 months old, but continue drinking milk until they’re around 12 to 15 months old!

Female wombats usually have one baby every two years!

Baby wombats start to leave their mother’s pouch at around 8 to 10 months old but return to drink milk!

Wombats become independent from their mothers at about 18 months old!

Baby wombats are born with their first teeth, and by about 6 months old they use them to start nibbling on grass!

Young wombats learn to dig by watching and copying their mothers!

Baby wombats are born hairless and don’t begin growing their fur — soft and covered in fuzz — until they’re around 4 to 5 months old.

Wombats grow up fast — they reach adult size by about 2 years old!

Diet & Feeding

Wombats spend about 3 to 8 hours grazing each night!