Good news!  I managed to find some time in between my Olympic watching to sit down and write up a Wild Fact.  I figured I would take advantage of the delay in Long Track Speed Skating (Go Canada!) to write up Wild Fact #874.  I know it may seem like I am just squeezing these Facts in whenever I have time but they actually do take precedence over many things.  I enjoy writing these facts so much that I will always find time to write about some interesting animal.  You are all in for a treat today since we will be learning about the cute and pudgy, Wombat.

The wombat is a marsupial, which means it gives birth to tiny little babies that will crawl into their pouch to continue growing.  Yes, that is the same thing a Kangaroo does! In case you are wondering, the babies will remain in the wombat’s pouch for about 5 months. I really hope those little guys are not claustrophobic!  These furry animals are nocturnal which means they head out at night to look for food. The wombat tends to feed on grasses, roots and bark. Perhaps if they foraged during the day they would find something a little tastier to eat!

The wombat has very long claws which they use to dig burrows for themselves. Their underground homes can be quite extensive with several chambers located throughout.  I bet the lady wombats have a huge walk-in closet in their chamber. I was surprised to find out that that certain species of wombats are actually very sociable. These species will form colonies and live together in their elaborate underground homes. Nothing better than the whole family getting together at home!

Like a lot of other animals, some of the wombat species are considered endangered due to habitat destruction. You may have noticed a recurring theme for endangered species that focuses in on habitat destruction. I guess this is to be expected as the human population and our demand for natural resources continues to grow.

Thanks for reading and hopefully learning something about the interesting Australian wombat.  I am off to watch some more Olympic events.  Go Jeremy Wotherspoon!