Common Wombat

GENUS AND SPECIES: Vombatus ursinus

ALTERNATE NAMES:

The Common wombat is also called the Coarse haired wombat, the Naked nosed wombat, the Forest wombat, the Island wombat, and the Tasmanian wombat. Nickname: Bulldozer of the bush

The Common wombat (picture courtesy of Womland used with permission)

CLASSIFICATION:

All Common wombats are generally considered a single species, Vombatus ursinus; however, they are sometimes classified as separate species or subspecies depending on where they live.

The Australian mainland species is sometimes classified as a separate species, Vombatus hirsutus, but is more commonly classified as a subspecies, Vombatus ursinus hirsutus.

The Common wombats that live in Tasmania and on Flinders Island in Bass Strait are slightly smaller than the mainland wombats and are often considered two separate subspecies. The wombats from Flinders Island are the smallest and are called Vombatus ursinus ursinus. The Tasmania wombats are called Vombatus ursinus tasmaniensis.

Map of Common wombat distribution

DISTRIBUTION:

The Common wombat is the most widespread. They were once found throughout southeast Australia, but their range is now restricted to the coastal regions of southeast Australia, including: the southeast tip of Queensland, the eastern region of New South Wales, the eastern half and southern areas of Victoria, and the southeastern tip of South Australia.

Common wombats are widespread in Tasmania, especially in the Northeast. They also occur on Flinders Island, which is located between Australia and Tasmania. Common wombats used to be native to all the islands of the Bass Strait (the waters between Australia and Tasmania), but now are restricted to Flinders Island.

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HABITAT:

The Common wombat lives in the temperate regions of southeast Australia and Tasmania. Habitat includes woodlands, shrub-lands, heath, coastal regions, and hilly and mountainous regions. They seem to prefer wetter, forested, rocky regions that are cooler. They also prefer sloping ground for proper burrow drainage.

A wombat's size compared to a person (picture courtesy of Womland)

SIZE:

The length of the average Common wombat, including its head and body, probably ranges from about 90 to 115 cm (35 to 45 inches). The maximum reported range is from 67 to 130 cm (26 to 51 inches). The small tail is 2.5 cm (1 inch), and their height when on all fours is 36 cm (14 inches). The average adult weighs from 22 to 39 kg (48 to 86 pounds), though some reports give a low of 15 kg (33 pounds) and a high of over 45 kg (100 pounds). Males tend to be slightly larger and heavier than females.

According to one source, the average Common wombat is approximately 1 meter (39 inches) and 27 kg (60 pounds). Another source says the average weight is about 23 kg (50 pounds). The Tasmania Common wombats are not quite as large or heavy, the average being 85 cm (33 inches) and 20 kg (44 pounds), and the maximum being about 25 kg (55 pounds). The Flinders Island Common wombats average about 75 cm (30 inches).

Common wombat skeleton. Wombats have short, stout limbs (picture courtesy of The Natural History Collections of the University of Edinburgh, used with permission)

PHYSICAL TRAITS:

The Common wombat's head is more rounded than that of the Hairy-nosed wombat. The Common wombat has a large bare nose which is shiny black with granular skin, much like that of a dog. The ears are relatively small, triangular, and slightly rounded.

The Common wombat's fur is coarse and thick, bristle-like, with little or no underfur. To the touch, it feels like horse hair. Longer than the Hairy-nosed wombat's fur, it is better adapted to the Common wombat's colder, wetter, forest habitat. Coloration ranges from yellowish or sandy, to brown or black, to grey. The fur can sometimes be streaked or flecked, and the belly and throat areas are usually lighter in color. Their true color, however, is often masked by the color of the dirt in which they've been digging.

The Common Wombat's nose and fur are quite different from the Hairy-nosed wombat's (picture courtesy of Womland used with permission)

NOTES:

In favorable conditions, Common wombats can have a population density of 0.3 to 0.5 per hectare (0.1 to 0.2 per acre). Each wombat will have a home range of about 5 to 27 hectares (12 to 65 acres) which will encompass a number of burrows and will overlap the territory of other wombats. The size of their home range depends upon the location and quality of their feeding areas.