Wombat Day in Australia Date in the current year: October 22, 2024

Wombats are muscular marsupials, that look like little bears. They are native to Australia and belong to the family Vombatidae. Wombats are the largest mammals, that dig burrows. Most time they spend underground in their extensive burrows and go out in the night. These animals are not commonly seen, but they leave evidence of their passage.

Wombats eat mostly grasses, herbs, seeds, roots and bark. They have very slow metabolism, that is why it takes about 14 days to complete digestion. This aids wombats' survival in arid conditions.

The family Vombatidae includes three species, that reside only in Australia. All three species are protected under Australian law. The northern hairy-nosed wombat is critically endangered and its total population consists only of 163 animals. The other two species, the southern hairy-nosed wombat and the common wombat are not endangered.

Australians celebrate Wombat Day in different ways. Some go to the zoo to watch wombats and others wear a T-shirt or a sweatshirt with the image of the animal. Creative housewives bake wombat-shape cakes and cookies.