Wombats

Wombats are chubby animals that live in Australia. They have thick fur, short legs, and strong claws. Wombats are marsupials, which means the mothers carry their babies in a pouch. They love to dig and spend most of the day sleeping in tunnels.

Where Wombats Live

Wombats live in forests, grasslands, and mountains in Australia. They dig long tunnels called burrows to stay cool and safe. Some burrows can be more than 100 feet long. Wombats come out at night to eat grass and roots. Each wombat usually has its own burrow to sleep in.

A Special Pouch

Wombat mothers have a pouch like kangaroos do. But their pouch opens backward, toward their tail. This keeps dirt from getting inside when the mother digs. A baby wombat, called a joey, stays in the pouch for about six months. After that, it starts to walk around on its own.

Fun Facts

• Wombats make cube-shaped poop, which is very unusual for animals.
• A wombat can run up to 25 miles per hour for short distances.
• Wombats have teeth that keep growing their whole lives.

Did You Know?

A wombat's backside is made of tough cartilage. If a predator chases it into its burrow, the wombat can block the entrance with its hard rear end.