Traditionally, on Saturdays, we publish for you the answers to the quiz in the “Question - Answer” format. We have a variety of questions, both simple and quite complex. The quiz is very interesting and quite popular, we are simply helping you test your knowledge and make sure that you have chosen the correct answer out of the four proposed. And we have another question in the quiz - Where does a wombat live?
- A. on a tree
- B. in the nest
- C. in a hole
- D. in water
The correct answer is C. In the hole
The wombat is a marsupial mammal belonging to the two-incisor family. Wombats live, as you might guess, in Australia, only marsupials remain there. Their distribution area is the southern and eastern parts of the continent. This animal lives in burrows that it digs itself, so its distribution area is in areas with suitable soil. Wombats are the world's largest mammals that dig burrows and spend most of their time underground. During the day they sleep in their burrows, and at night they go out to find food: grass, plant roots, berries, mushrooms, etc.
The wombat is a herbivorous representative of the fauna of the Australian mainland, belonging to the family of two-incisor marsupials.
Externally, the animal resembles a small bear cub, weighs between 20-40 kg with a total body length of about 1 meter.
Wombat: description of the animal
The wombat's body is compact and covered with coarse gray-brown fur. Short tail. The head is large, slightly flattened. The eyes are small. The structure of the jaws and teeth, of which there are 12 (which is the smallest among marsupials), is similar to rodents. Short, strong limbs are well developed. Each of them has 5 fingers, 4 of which are topped with large claws designed for digging holes.
Methods of protection from the enemy
The back of a wombat's body, made up of thick skin, bones and cartilage, is extremely hard. Thanks to this feature, the marsupial can defend itself from enemies: by turning its back to them, it blocks the entrance to its home. If the enemy managed to get inside, the inhabitant of the holes is able to crush the latter against the walls of the shelter. Another way to repel an attack is by head blows, which the wombat inflicts like a ram or a goat. The sounds similar to mooing made by the animal are aimed at intimidating and intimidating the enemy.
A wombat is an animal that, if unable to cope with an enemy, can run away from it, developing a speed of about 40 km/h (for short distances). The marsupial is also capable of climbing trees or swimming.
Where do wombats live?
The habitat of wombats can be called the southern and eastern parts of Australia, the states of South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, South Wales, and Queensland. The animal spends most of its life underground, so it chooses an area with soil that is well suited for digging holes. The depth of such caves reaches 3 meters, the length of complex tunnel systems is about 20 meters.
Knowing where wombats live, it would be worth mentioning that such animals prefer a solitary lifestyle, but try to place burrows close to each other. For this reason, moves can sometimes intersect.
Animal lifestyle
The Australian inhabitant is predominantly nocturnal; during the daytime it rests in a hole. When the sun sets, it goes out in search of food. In winter, if there is a lack of heat, it can leave the home during the day in order to warm up. By the way, the wombat does not tolerate low temperatures.
To mark the territory (on stones, trunks of fallen trees), the marsupial uses its own feces, which, due to the specific structure of the anus, have a cubic shape. Sticky mucus and the specific sweetish smell of feces scare away competitors from an already occupied territory. By the way, in Australia, wombat feces are raw materials for paper production.
Wombat ancestors
The wombat is an animal that is the oldest inhabitant of the planet, appearing on it more than 18 million years ago. A close relative of the Australian animal is considered to be Diprotodon, a marsupial whose largest representatives reached about 3 meters in length and 2 meters at the withers. Of modern animals, wombats are most similar to koalas: teeth, sperm.
During the settlement of Australia (about 40-60 thousand years ago), the number of wombats on the continent sharply decreased due to hunting, destruction of habitats, and competition with new species of animals introduced to the continent. Today, the threat to animals is posed by cars, under whose wheels marsupials carelessly jumping onto the road die. However, the wombat is an animal that is not afraid of humans. Sometimes, if he is in a bad mood or shows signs of aggression towards him, he can even show his character: attack, scratch. The wombat's enemy from the animal world is the dingo.
Diet
The main food of wombats are young grass shoots, which the animal, which has an excellent sense of smell, seeks out and cuts to the very root with sharp teeth. The marsupial does not disdain berries, mushrooms, and moss. The marsupial inhabitant of the Australian continent has a slow metabolism: food is digested in about 2 weeks.
In terms of water consumption, the marsupial wombat is the most economical among mammals: fluid consumption per 1 kg of its weight is 22 ml. This feature helps such a representative of the fauna survive in conditions of drought and crop failure.
Features of reproduction
Male wombats reach sexual maturity at 2 years, females at 3. The animals reproduce all year round; in dry regions - seasonally. The gestation period for the cub is 21 days.
After being born, the baby remains in the mother’s pouch, which is located on the back (like a backpack), for another 6-8 months. Otherwise, when digging the ground, lumps of dirt would get inside the bag.
Lifespan
The average lifespan of a wombat is 15 years. In captivity this period increases significantly. Thus, a case was recorded when an Australian wombat in a zoo lived to be 34 years old. The ability to dig holes and destroy green spaces sometimes makes the wombat unsuitable for home keeping. In a zoo, a marsupial can even give birth to offspring.
The wombat is an animal that is most often found in the wild in areas most visited by tourists. The latter, in their desire to admire such rare individuals, often feed them.
The inhabitant of the Australian continent has a good-natured character and easily makes contact with people. There is a version that the wombat is the prototype of Sonya, a participant in the Mad Tea Party from Lewis Carroll's fairy tale “Alice in Wonderland.” The tame animal, who loved to sleep on the table, lived with Dante Rossetti, a friend of the English writer.
Today, the export of wombats from Australia is prohibited; the Australian animal is offered only to large zoos for $500-1000.
Wombats are cute and charming animals, a bit like little teddy bears and pigs at the same time.
Surely everyone has seen photos of wombats, but only a few know where and how these funny animals live.
Wombats are the closest relatives of koalas. Today, wombats are considered the largest of mammals that spend most of their lives in burrows.
The animals prefer a nocturnal lifestyle, and in daytime They rest for days in their underground burrows.
By the way, their underground dwelling cannot simply be called a burrow. Wombats build entire underground settlements with complex system streets and tunnels. Animals live in large families in their labyrinths.
Where do wombats live?
Australia is considered the homeland of wombats; they can also be found on the island of Tasmania. IN modern world There are only two species of the wombat family left.
In particular:
- short-haired wombats;
- long-haired wombats, including the Queensland genus.
Types of wombats
The Queensland subspecies of wombat is one of the rarest animals on Earth. Today, there are only 115 individuals living in the national reserve in Queensland.
Just a few centuries ago there was much more in the world various types wombats, but their representatives could not survive to this day.
Appearance and lifestyle of wombats
Animals, depending on the species and age, reach a length of 70 to 125 cm, and the weight of adult individuals ranges from 20 to 45 kg
Small “bears” are quite dense, have a small and compact body, covered with gray or brown fur.
Wombats have an original head structure. In relation to the body, it is disproportionately large in size, the shape of the skull is slightly flattened, and there are small black eyes on the sides.
When a wombat believes it is in danger, it will butt its head.
The animal's paws are strong and muscular with 5 strong large claws. With the help of their claws, wombats are excellent at digging numerous underground shelters. Wombats also have a small tail.
Funny animals go out at night to find food, sleep during the day, or simply hide in holes.
Wombats do not tolerate cold well. What they do very well is climb trees and even swim in water.
What do animals eat?
Wombats are classic vegetarians. The structure of the jaws of wombats is similar to the teeth of all rodents. They have four large front cutting fangs - a pair on top and bottom, as well as simple chewing teeth. They eat young grass, sweet roots, mushrooms, fresh moss, and various fruits of bushes.
Wombats practically do not need water; the animals need the juice of grass and berries for normal life. The process of digesting food in wombats is slow; sometimes food remains in the animals’ stomachs for up to 12-14 days.
Character of wombats
The animals are considered friendly; they have practically no enemies in their habitat. The positive and peaceful nature of wombats changes to a very aggressive one if someone tries to enter their territory.
The bears take on a menacing appearance, and if the situation does not improve, the animal begins to “moo” in a peculiar way and tries to defeat its ill-wishers with strong head pushes.
How do wombats reproduce?
The mating season of wombats lasts from May to August. The female's pregnancy lasts about 3 weeks, after which a single baby is born.
Wombats are marsupials. The female has a pouch on her back, it is deployed in such a way that it is easy for the wombat cub to hold and the earth does not fall into it during land work.
A small wombat grows in a pouch for up to 8 months, completely surrounded by warmth, care and attention. And then he stays near his parents for about another year.
And only when the baby grows up to two years old and becomes fully grown, does he leave his parents to have a baby himself.
How long do wombats live in their natural habitat?
In nature, wombats live 15-16 years; in captivity, small “cubs” can live up to half a century. The only enemies of wombats in Australia that can end the animal's life are dingoes.
However, much more often wombats become victims of cars, especially at night, when they emerge from their burrows.
Also, modern ecology and the gradual destruction of their habitats have a detrimental effect on wombats, forcing the animals to try food that is not familiar and rational for them, and to move to other territories.
And for animals, the main thing is dry soil without underground sources and deposits of stones.
In Australia, there are many national programs to protect and rescue these unique animals.
A small town in Australia, a newly discovered asteroid, a young indie rock band, and even an anti-tank gun used in the British army are named after these funny and funny animals.
That's what he is - a small, but curious and beloved animal by all.
Photos of wombats
Classification
View: Wombat Vombatidae
Squad: Two-incisor marsupials
Highest classification: Vombatiformes
Domain: Eukaryotes
Kingdom: Animals
Type: Chordata
Class: Mammals
The wombat is a herbivorous representative of the Australian fauna that is active at night.
This is a marsupial animal that has practically no natural enemies.
Externally, the animal resembles a small bear cub
The wombat, like , and , digs holes, and its food source is vegetation.
He looks quite cute and seems harmless, but as soon as he senses danger, he immediately becomes aggressive.
Nature has endowed this animal with acute hearing and poor eyesight. The cold climate is destructive for it and prolonged stay in such conditions can provoke serious illnesses.
Habitat
Australia and Tasmania are the main places where the wombat lives. It lives in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.
Its habitat is forests, fields and mountains. The wombat needs land in which it constantly digs holes - it lives there and marks its territory.
The wombat will always protect its habitable spaces, scaring off the “uninvited guest” with a menacing moo. Often this is enough for him to leave, but if necessary, the wombat will enter into battle
Previously, all of Australia was inhabited by wombats, but due to the active destruction of rodents, their population has decreased significantly.
And today these marsupials can only be found in the southern part of the continent.
Characteristic
Because of its short legs, the wombat looks like a small, stocky bear. But in fact, he is a “relative” of the kangaroo.
Its body looks massive and thick, and thanks to its large head, the first Australian settlers called the wombat a badger.
Today, three species of these marsupial mammals are known:
- common Vombatus ursinus;
- broad-browed;
- Woolly-nosed Krefta, or northern.
Representatives of the last two species have another name - long-haired.
Albino wombats also exist, but they are extremely rare.
Important! Human agricultural activities have caused irreparable damage to the wombat population.
Appearance
The body length of an adult animal ranges from 70-130 cm. Its weight can be 20-45 kg. The body looks compact, the legs are short, but very strong.
There are five toes on each foot, four of which have sharp claws - with their help both the long-haired and the common wombat dig their tunnels.
There are two small eyes on the large head. The tail is thin and not too long.
Interesting! Among extinct species, for example, Phascolonus gigas, there were individuals whose weight could reach 200 kg!
In terms of the structure of its jaws, the wombat is similar to rodents. It has four front cutting teeth - two each on top and bottom, and simple chewing teeth, with no corner teeth.
This mammal has a total of 12 teeth, which is the smallest among marsupials.
The common wombat has a completely bare nose, short and rounded ears, and gray-brown fur that is very short and hard to the touch.
Representatives of the other two species - northern and broad-fronted - have hairy noses, much larger ears and soft fur.
The largest among the others is the wombat, which belongs to the broad-fronted species, which can be seen in the next photo. His characteristic features are pointed ears and a flat forehead.
Broad-faced wombat wearing a gray “fur coat”
Main Features
- The wombat lives mainly underground in a hole that it dug itself. With the help of its long sharp claws, this animal is capable of building both small caves and real tunnel systems. The length of the latter can reach 20 m, and the depth - 3.5 m. At the intersection of underground systems, separate caves are formed, in which different times different “families” of these stunning animals can live.
- These mammals rest in their shelters during daylight hours. At night they are active and come out of their burrows to find food. But in winter, the northern wombat can also be found during the day, which is clearly demonstrated in the next photo.
In cold weather, the northern wombat can come out of its burrow to bask in the sun's rays
- Adults have virtually no natural enemies. They can be hunted by wild dingoes and Tasmanian devils, whose habitat is also Australia. But they significantly undermine the number of wombats and prevent them from raising their offspring.
- This animal repels the attacks of an attacker in a very strange way - it exposes the back of its back from the hole. This is due to the fact that they have a kind of shield on their pelvic bones. If the enemy penetrates the hole, then the wombat peacefully moves aside, luring him deeper, and then attacks and strangles him with his back shield.
- During a fight, both long-haired and common wombats butt heads, delivering powerful head blows. But before they engage in combat, they warn the enemy by shaking their heads from side to side and mooing threateningly.
- The constant presence of a source of water in places where the wombat lives is not a prerequisite for existence. He lives quite calmly for a long time without liquid, and if he drinks, it is very little.
Interesting! The wombat ranks second in terms of water conservation after the camel. For one kilogram of body weight per day, only 22 ml of liquid is enough for him!
- The area of the territory where this representative of the fauna lives will depend on external conditions and can be about 5-25 hectares. They mark their “possessions” not only with dug holes, but also with excrement.
- Their anus has a special structure, due to which the feces are shaped like cubes.
The food source for wombats is vegetation. They consume grass shoots, roots of some plants, and can feed on moss, as well as berries and mushrooms.
And they identify edible vegetation using the upper lip, divided into two parts.
Large front teeth protrude from under it, with which animals easily cut off young shoots to the very root.
Thanks to a well-developed sense of smell, these representatives of the fauna have excellent orientation even at night.
Wombats find food without much difficulty, even despite poor eyesight
Interesting! Wombats have a slow but very efficient metabolism. After saturation, the animal’s body needs about 2 weeks to digest the incoming food!
Reproduction
The breeding season begins in May and lasts until August. No more than three weeks are allowed to bear the baby.
The female has two nipples, but during one pregnancy she is able to give birth to only one “heir”, who, after birth, remains under her care for a fairly long period of time.
This animal has a pouch on its abdomen that is turned backwards.
This arrangement helps the wombats dig their trenches unhindered even while the baby is in this pouch. The male reaches sexual maturity in the second year of his life, the female only in the third.
The cub spends about 9 months in its mother's pouch.
The wombat reproduces almost throughout the entire territory where it lives, with the exception of particularly dry zones.
In such regions, this animal is able to produce offspring only at certain times of the year.
In conditions wildlife Both the common and northern wombat live on average about 15 years. In captivity, their life expectancy can reach a quarter of a century.
Note! There is information about a long-lived wombat who died after reaching 34 years of age. But there is also a living marsupial mammal nicknamed Patrick, which is located in Ballarta Park - its age today is 29 years old!
Australia is famous for its huge number of zoological parks and tourist centers, where wombats live in captivity and reproduce quite actively.
These animals are incredibly popular, despite the fact that they are very difficult to tame.
But park workers were able to find common language with these cute creatures, and after much persuasion, they still come out of their hiding places for everyone to see and even allow themselves to be stroked, as can be seen in the next photo.
The baby wombat behaves quite friendly and calm
But you should always remember about their far from meek disposition, which can manifest itself at any moment.
As soon as an animal senses danger, it can immediately attack a person and scratch him with its long, strong claws.
If the wombat is not provoked, it will not show signs of aggression. But at the same time, his behavior can also be affected by a bad mood.
Being strong and sturdy, possessing remarkable weight, powerful jaws and sharp teeth, an angry wombat will leave deep wounds if a person does not disappear from his field of vision in time.
In addition, when angry, these representatives of the fauna are capable of completely destroying the vegetation that will be located in the area.
He will zealously dig up the entire area until not a single sprout remains on it.
These characteristics make the wombat not the best pet. He is unpredictable, excessively timid and therefore poses a serious danger to humans.
And even if the threat is not real, a frightened animal can attack an imaginary enemy.
In addition, they cannot be called smart and sometimes their actions are at odds with a seemingly good mood.
In order for such an exotic animal as a wombat to qualify as a pet, a place must first be arranged for it.
And, as some owners of these marsupials say, over time they get used to the situation, especially if it is possible to dig trenches without hindrance.
A house or apartment is not suitable for keeping them, since there is not enough space for a wombat and he will have nowhere to hide.
In this regard, floor coverings and walls will certainly be seriously damaged or become completely unusable.
A suitable place for a wombat is personal plot with a vast territory.
At the same time, it is important to remember about the climatic zone of residence, since these animals tolerate cold very poorly - under such conditions they will often get sick.
In regions characterized by a variable climate, special places are created for these animals where the pet can wait out the cold months or several days of inclement weather
The baby next to a calm mother will feel quite comfortable and develop well.
Animal Wombat: Cute marsupial mammal
The wombat is a herbivorous representative of the Australian fauna that is active at night. This is a marsupial animal that has practically no natural enemies.
The wombat is a unique animal of its kind. In appearance, these creatures resemble the more famous representatives of the family of two-incisor marsupials - koalas. Despite the fact that these 2 species have certain similarities, their evolutionary paths diverged many millions of years ago. Modern wombats are burrowing animals. Currently these unique creations are on the verge of extinction. They are not hunted for their skin or meat. However, the extensive passages that animals make are enormous in size, and they often lead to the destruction of fences.
The wombat is a unique animal of its kind
This in most cases causes significant material damage to Australian farms, which is why some people poison these creatures in order to get rid of such a neighborhood. The burrowing wombat causes as much damage as rabbits and kangaroos, which are abundant in Australia. Because of this, the number of animals has decreased significantly over the past 100 years. In addition, many wombats die under the wheels of cars, since the animals, if such a threat approaches them, do not try to escape, but freeze in place, which becomes the cause of the collision. These creatures are an endangered species, so conservation measures are being taken to increase their numbers.
The only continent where this unique marsupial mammal is found is Australia. The range of wombats extends across the entire southern and eastern part of the continent. Currently, this marsupial mammal is the largest animal that digs extensive burrows in the soil. The lifespan of these creatures in nature is about 18-25 years. The body length of an adult varies from 70 to 130 cm. Their weight can range from 20 to 45 kg. At the moment, there are 2 types of unique animals. The most common is the northern long-haired wombat. This species is currently found throughout most of the habitat of these creatures. The short-haired wombat is smaller in size. These animals, in the process of evolution, have perfectly adapted to their way of life. The front and hind legs of wombats are quite short, but strong.
In their appearance, these creatures resemble the more famous representatives of the family of two-incisor marsupials - koalas
There are sharp claws at the tips of the fingers. The diet of adults includes:
- young shoots of grass;
- mushrooms;
- berries;
- roots;
- some types of mosses.
These creatures have an excellent sense of smell, so they easily find the most suitable young shoots. Forked upper lip allows animals to cut succulent grasses right at the root. It is currently known that these unique marsupials have only 12 teeth. In their structure, wombats resemble rodents, but these creatures have nothing to do with them. Considering that wombats spend most of their lives underground, they do not have good eyesight. Their eyes are very small. Although wombats have thick fur and warm undercoats, they do not tolerate cold well. To reduce heat loss, this unique marsupial mammal from Australia acquired certain adaptations during the process of evolution. His tail and ears were greatly shortened and covered with thick hair.
Archaeological excavations carried out in Australia have revealed that more than 10 varieties of these creatures used to live on the continent. Some of them were real giants. Due to climate change and many other reasons, they became extinct, and now there are only 2 genera of these animals on this continent.
Animal wombat (video)
Gallery: wombat animal (25 photos)
Wombat lifestyle
These creatures are quite primitive. They have a small brain, so they usually act according to instincts. Even when locked up, the mammal does not stop trying to start digging. This is a built-in instinct that animals cannot resist. It is precisely because of this feature that it is not recommended to have such an exotic animal. Even a small wombat can damage floors and furniture. These creatures cause the least harm in their natural habitat, even if they come into conflict with agricultural workers. They can also be kept in large zoos.
Wombats spend most of the day in burrows, which can go 3 m deep underground. Branched passages with large rooms can extend for more than 20 m. Thus, the desire of wombats to constantly dig is more than compensated by the opportunity to obtain reliable shelter from predators.
The burrows maintain a temperature that is comfortable for marsupials. Usually these animals come to the surface at dusk and at night. One family occupies a certain territory, which can be up to 25 hectares. Wombat droppings are shaped like cubes. These animals use it to mark the border of their territory.
Males can behave aggressively with each other while defending their living space and the right to mate. However, if 2 males meet in underground passages, a fight between them is excluded. During disputes over territory, wombats take a fighting stance, begin to sway and warn the aggressor of their intentions with an unpleasant sound that is somewhat reminiscent of a moo. Wombats rarely use their claws when fighting.
During skirmishes for territory, these animals bang their heads, just like rams do. Such fights are extremely rare in nature. In some cases, these creatures can inflict serious wounds on each other with their claws.
A wombat in a hole is practically invulnerable. When an outsider tries to get inside, the animal blocks access to the hole with its butt, which has a special structure of cartilage and bones and very hard skin. This allows the wombat to pin any aggressor against the wall of the hole without harm to itself, not giving him a chance to penetrate further. There are known cases where dogs who tried to squeeze into a hole died in it, crushed by the body of a wombat to the earthen wall.
If necessary, this marsupial mammal can easily escape from a predator, as it can reach speeds of more than 40 km/h. Among other things, it can easily climb a tree and even swim across any body of water. However, despite the gentle appearance of these animals, it is not recommended to tempt fate and get close to them. A frightened Australian wombat can attack a person, which can end extremely unpleasantly for the latter, given the huge claws.
Wombats are herbivores. When given the opportunity, they eat. Due to their slow metabolism, it takes them at least 14 hours to digest their food. Given that this marsupial mammal lives mainly in arid areas, it has adapted to make do with a small amount of water, which can be obtained from plant foods.
Wombat (video)
How do wombats reproduce?
These animals are not overly fertile. They can conceive offspring throughout the year. Only in the most arid areas, where the entire grass cover is burned by the sun, do these creatures not reproduce for a certain period.
The gestation period of wombats is only 20 days. Only 1 cub is born. Despite the fact that the female has 2 nipples, she is not able to feed twins. After birth, a very poorly developed wombat cub, clinging to the mother’s fur, moves into the pouch. There he finds a nipple and begins to feed.
The baby can live in the bag for up to 8 months. Only occasionally, towards the end of this period, does he leave his warm place to develop his muscles. For approximately another 1 year after the baby leaves the pouch, it stays close to its mother, who continues to care for it.
During this time, the baby learns to distinguish between herbs, mushrooms and berries, which he will later eat on his own, and in addition, he comprehends all the intricacies of the life of adult wombats. Usually the female, after her pouch is released, becomes capable of reproduction.
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