Common Wombat

Taxobox
name = Common Wombat [MSW3 Groves|pages=43-44]
status = LC
status_system = iucn3.1
status_ref = [IUCN2006|assessors=Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group|year=1996|id=40556|title=Vombatus ursinus|downloaded=06 May 2006]

---

regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
infraclassis = Marsupialia
ordo = Diprotodontia
familia = Vombatidae
genus = "Vombatus"
genus_authority = É. Geoffroy, 1803
species = "V. ursinus"
binomial = "Vombatus ursinus"
binomial_authority = (Shaw, 1800)The Common Wombat ("Vombatus ursinus"), also known as the Coarse-haired Wombat, is one of three species of wombat and the only one in the "Vombatus" genus.

Distribution

It is widespread in the cooler and better watered parts of southern and eastern Australia, and in mountain districts as far north as the south of Queensland, but is declining in Western Victoria and South Australia.

Breeding and social habits

The Common Wombat can breed every two years and produce a single joey, which leaves the backwards facing pouch after nine to eleven months (weighing between 3.5 and 6.5 kilograms). The joey is weaned at around 12 to 15 months of age and is usually independent at 18 months of age.

Bass Strait subspecies

The Bass Strait subspecies ("Vombatus ursinus ursinus") is only found on Flinders Island to the north of Tasmania. Its population was estimated at 4000 in 1996 and is listed as vulnerable by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and IUCN Red List. [http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=66644 Vombatus ursinus ursinus — Common Wombat (Bass Strait) ] ] IUCN2006|assessors=Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group|year=1996|id=23046|title=Vombatus ursinus ssp. ursinus|downloaded=15 March 2007]

References