Wildlife

Largest burrowing mammal in Australia
The wombat is the largest burrowing mammal in Australia. There are three sub-species of the common wombat, two of which are found in Tasmania: Vombatus ursinus tasmaniensis is found in mainland Tasmania and Vombatus ursinus ursinus on Flinders Island.

The Tasmanian wombat is not as large or bulky as its mainland relative, averaging 20 kilograms in weight. The Flinders Island wombat is smaller still.

Solitary and nocturnal
The wombat is common in Tasmania, particularly in the north-east of the state. They are mostly nocturnal, usually coming out at night to graze, however, in cold periods they may sometimes be seen during the day either grazing or basking in the sun. They graze for between three and eight hours a night on grass, shoots and succulent roots.

Wombats are solitary animals and to avoid any overlap of feeding areas, they use scent-marking, vocalisations and aggressive displays. Each wombat has a ‘home range’ that is marked by distinctive cubic droppings. Wombat burrows may be up to 10 metres in length and 30 metres deep, with multiple entrances. Each wombat can have up to 12 burrows.

Read more about the wombat.