Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat Stock Photography

Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat, Lasiorhinus latifrons, Australia. The Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat is one of three species of wombat, it can grow to a length of 75-100cm with a height of 25-35cm and can weigh as much as 32kg. Don`t let appearance fool you, these guys are very alert and when disturbed are capable of reaching speeds of 40km an hour. Southern Hairy-nosed Wombats are generally solitary creatures, however they live in complex tunnel systems which are known to hold between 5 and 10 wombats, generally not all individuals are present at the same time. The extensive burrows have clustered entrances which form a warren with smaller burrows attached. Burrows are connected by a network of trails which often lead to rubbing posts and wallows. Within the burrows the wombats rely on their excellent olfactory sense to communicate and entrances are often marked with urine, faeces and scratch markings. Southern Hairy-nosed Wombats use their burrow systems to beat the harsh heat of the day and can conserve energy while in a burrow by maintaining a low body temperature and slowing its breathing and heart rate. A tunnel system can have a radius of 100-150m and a Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat usually has a home range of 6-10 acres depending on the quality of the pasture.