One of Australia's most engaging marsupials, the wombat is also one of the most disparaged and least understood. Often depicted as slow, muddle-headed and clumsy, it can, in fact, outpace a human or a dog over a short distance. Wombats are quick to learn and superbly adapted to their burrowing way of life.
This book gives a full account of how wombats live and the many hazards they face. Dealing mainly with the bare-nosed wombat, Vombatus ursinus, it also includes information on the southern hairy-nosed wombat, Lasiorhinus latifrons, as well as the northern hairy-nosed wombat, Lasiorhinus krefftii, which is one of the world's most endangered animals. The book also gives practical advice on rearing orphan wombats.
Completely revised from the 1996 book, this new edition has over 100 illustrations, including 23 colour plates and drawings by Peter Schouten.
1. Evolution and early history 2. The wombat itself 3. Burrows 4. What goes on in a burrow 5. Life above ground 6. From birth to maturity 7. Dangers, disorders and disasters 8. Wombats in the wardrobe Appendix: Hand-rearing orphan wombats
Barbara Triggs has lived in East Gippsland among wombats and other animals since 1972. She is an authority on the identification of mammals by indirect means, and is the author of the best-selling field guide Tracks, Scats and Other Traces.