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Mid

What eats roots and leaves? Two fury little Aussies
Published on November 21, 2007

Dusit Zoo yesterday officially welcomed its two most recent arrivals from Australia - a pair of wombats.

One is a 13-year-old male forest wombat named 'Dozer' and the other is a three-year-old female common wombat called 'Isa'.

Wombats are marsupials that can grow over a metre in length and weigh up to 39 kilograms. They have short legs with no visible tail, a broad head, small ears, a hairless nose and usually brown fur. They are similar to small stocky bears.

Wombats are nocturnal, herbivores and burrow into the ground. They grass, tree roots and soft mosses. They can also swim.

A one-month-old wombat will stay in the female's pouch for six months then live near its mother for another year and a half. The animals' life expectancy in the wild is five years, but they can live up to 20 years in captivity. Their habitat is mountainous forest areas on Australia's southeast coast.

The zoo held a press conference yesterday but will later introduce Dozer and Isa officially during its celebration for the Loy Krathong festival on Saturday - when Australia will hold an election.

The two wombats were provided by Taronga Zoo in Sydney and Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo.

Australian Ambassador Bill Paterson said: "The arrival of these wombats is part of a collaboration programme between the Thai and Australian Governments."

Mr Paterson hoped Australia and Thailand's long collaboration on wildlife conservation would continue. He said Australia would present more of its unique fauna in the future, including wallabies and red kangaroos.

Assoc Prof Dr Chainarong Lohachit, board of director of the Zoological Park Organisation under the Royal Patronage of HM the King, said the Australian government had already given the zoo four koalas and two red pandas. It received the two wombats on October 10.

"The wombats will be a sign of the relationship between Thailand and Australia, and will also be useful for children's learning," Chainarong said.
The organisation's deputy director-general, Wisid Wichasilpa, said the zoo would provide Australia with native animals from Thailand in the future.

Wannapa Phetdee
The Nation

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chinthee

That's got to be one of the coolest little animals around, and definitely has the coolest name.

Mid

being refereed to as a wombat in the Aus vernacular is not high on the list of things to do in Oz ............................

chinthee

^ I know, that's why I like it.

corvettelover

A bad pest out west of sydney in the plains they dig some bad holes.Have actually been on a wombat roundup, near parkes in western new south wales in early 70s.Catch the wombat in the spotlight and wearing welding gloves grab by scruff on neck and base of back and dont let go, they have some mother arsed claws and are far from happy being picked up.Into the sugar bag and thrown into the back of a ute with a cage on the back.
Then a quick drive down the road 20k and open the cage and let them out.
I shouldnt mention it as the greenies will appear
but they taste like pork