(This photo is from
The Daily Telegraph)
Australia’s urbane Treasury Secretary, Ken Henry, brought the plight of the hairy-nosed northern wombat to the world’s attention recently. He took five week’s leave at a time of economic crisis to care for these rare mammals. Mr.Henry talked about his holiday when he made a speech to the National Press Club in Canberra. He remarked that: "It turns out that there are more taxes in Australia than there are northern hairy-nosed wombats. Clearly taxes are not an endangered species." He was also pleased to be photographed hugging one of these cute creatures.
These wombats are included in the most endangered species of the world. In the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century there were populations of the wombats in northern Victoria, New South Wales and about one-quarter of Queensland. These became extinct for various reasons, for example, competing with cattle for feed, and natural disasters. Now there is only one small population of wombats at the Epping Forest National Park in central Queensland. The park was established in 1971 to protect the wombats from their main predator, the dingo. Dingoes are a wild Australian dog which has actually eaten wombats.
The mammal has brownish grey fur, a wide head with pointed ears and long claws. It is not a pretty animal but it has a certain appeal. It lives in hot climates and likes to feed at river banks and grassy creeks. The wombats eat native grasses.
It is a nocturnal animal and lives in its burrows during the hot summers. The wombat’s tough claws and strong legs enable it to build burrows easily and it likes to establish its homes close to trees.
The hairy-nosed northern wombat only has one baby at a time but it can breed each year. They breed more in rainy summers apparently so drought can affect the population rate adversely. Strong efforts are being made to breed the wombats in captivity and the possibility of artificial insemination is being discussed.
There are many threats to the wombats, unfortunately. Buffel grass is difficult to eradicate and grows like wildfire, infesting the area of the native grasses that the wombats like to eat. Competing with introduced animals, such as cattle, for food, is still a problem. Inbreeding increases the risk of disease. Natural disasters, such as drought and bushfires, are another huge threat to the small population of wombats.
It is to be hoped that more people become aware of the danger of extinction of these native mammals.
NB: I have this on sale at Constant-Content. I don't like Henry's economic policies but I admire his helping the wombats!
