A tale of two wombats at Healesville on World Wombat Day
Milo and Gem are two wombats with very different personalities who share the same adorable hobby. Discover their pastime plus loads of fun wombat facts this World Wombat Day (October 22)
READING LEVEL: GREEN
One is a social butterfly with a never-ending appetite, while the other is a strong-willed homebody* who loves a good nap and a satisfying bum scratch.
Meet Milo and Gem, Healesville Sanctuary’s resident common wombats, who are putting their best paws forward for World Wombat Day on Thursday 22 October.
At 14, male wombat Milo is the extrovert* – and personal space isn’t really his thing. The first out of the den each morning (usually with hay stuck to his face), Milo is eager to meet just about anyone who comes his way. And with his habit of trying to climb into keepers’ laps, the team has learned to watch out for the occasional overenthusiastic headbutt.
“Milo’s personality is just that he is so keen for food, so anywhere there is food you will find Milo,” mammal keeper Taylah Conlin said.
Ten-year-old female Gem, meanwhile, takes a little more convincing. This sassy lassie spends most of her time snoozing, coming out on her own schedule for good, long bum scratches against any hard surface she can find.
Ms Conlin said winning Gem’s affection was especially gratifying.
“She takes a little bit to win over, but when you do, it just makes it extra rewarding when she comes to love you,” she said.
Don’t let their cuddly, barrel-shaped appearance fool you – wombats are formidable* marsupials, capable of reaching 40 km an hour in short bursts, with tough, cartilage-reinforced* rumps that double as weapons against predators*.
They’re full of other surprises, too, such as teeth that never stop growing and one of the animal kingdom’s most peculiar features: cube-shaped poo. The distinctive shape helps their droppings stay put for marking their territory, whereas the round droppings of other animals might more easily roll away – in a strong wind, for example.
Wombats are also expert excavators*, digging intricate networks of underground burrows with powerful claws. Female wombats even have backwards-facing pouches to prevent dirt from flying in while the mum digs.
“Being their keeper, they’re digging, I’m filling the holes, and then they’re going at it again the next day and the next day,” Ms Conlin said.
Mischievous Milo is always particularly keen to lend a paw, often undoing freshly moved dirt, climbing into wheelbarrows, or pulling clean straw out of his den.
While both wombats enjoy plenty of downtime, they are known to break into full-blown zoomies when feeling happy.
“Milo in particular likes to buck a lot. He bucks, followed by a big, long run,” Ms Conlin said.
World Wombat Day is the perfect chance to celebrate these much-loved Australian icons, the clearly smitten* keeper said.
“They’re very unique,” Ms Conlin said. “They have so many different adaptations* that are just completely different to any other animal. And you can’t help but smile when you see a wombat.”
WATCH THE VIDEO
POLL
GLOSSARY
- homebody: someone who likes to stay at home or indoors a lot
- extrovert: someone who loves to socialise
- formidable: powerful or strong
- predator: an animal that hunts, kills, and eats other animals
- cartilage-reinforced: their rumps are strengthened with four plates of cartilage, which is a hard yet flexible connective tissue – the same stuff that gives shape to our nose and ears. This shield of cartilage makes their rumps extra strong, protecting them from bites and even giving them the ability to use their big behinds as crushing weapons when threatened in their burrows
- excavators: diggers and tunnellers
- adaptations: the unique ways in which a species has evolved in order to survive in an environment
- smitten: charmed
EXTRA READING
Devil safe and well after escapade
Bilby breeding a stunning success
Possum hitches a ride on boy
QUICK QUIZ
1. In what way are Gem and Milo different?
2. What are some things they share in common?
3. What are two unusual wombat facts?
4. Why does the pouch of a female wombat face backwards?
5. How fast can wombats run?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Marking territory
Wombats are not the only animals who mark their territory. Do you know another animal that does this? Describe what this animal does and why you think this is important for them.
Time: Spend at least 20 minutes on this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Science
2. Extension
How do you think Milo or Gem would describe a typical day at the Sanctuary? Imagine that you are either Milo or Gem. Write the description. Your purpose is for your readers to understand your personality and what you love about being a wombat!
Time: Spend at least 30 minutes on this activity
Curriculum Links: English
VCOP ACTIVITY
Vocabulary recycle
There is some vivid vocabulary being used in the article, and I am not just talking about the glossary words. Go through the article and highlight the high-level language that you are impressed by in yellow.
See if you can borrow two of these wow words to reuse in your own way.
Remember vocabulary is a great way to connect with the audience, but you need to think about who your audience is so you make great word choices.
Who will the audience be in your recycled sentences?