Wombat
Tasmania, Australia
Australia is known for its dry, desert climate, but the southern island of Tasmania, facing the Southern Ocean, has a humid natural environment and is home to many unusual creatures. I visited Tasmania in early summer, where untouched wilderness remains.
As I walked through the grasslands of the inland mountains, a stout, round animal emerged from the forest. It was a wombat. It lumbered out onto the open field and began to graze. Wombats live by digging holes in the ground or settling into gaps between tree roots. Its charming, slightly vacant expression made it look almost like a stuffed toy.
As I slowly approached to within about ten meters, it suddenly stopped grazing. Just as it lifted its head, it bolted away with thudding steps. It fled with a speed that belied its appearance. Though it seemed approachable, it was still a wild animal. Its sense of caution was clearly intact. Yet on another occasion, a wombat came up to me on its own, brushing past my body as it walked by. Perhaps it was its capricious nature.
Like kangaroos, wombats are marsupials and raise their young in a pouch on their belly. The pouch opens toward the rear, keeping dirt out while digging. When you see a female from behind, you might spot a baby peeking out from her backside.
The name 鈥渨ombat鈥� comes from the Aboriginal word meaning 鈥渇lat nose.鈥� In the past, they were sometimes culled as crop-damaging pests, but today they are well-protected and treated with care.
