Today's creature feature is inspired by this post by u/hitchhikersride! We're talking about wombats (Vombatidae)!

This broad clade of marsupials (mammals that carry their young in a pouch) may look ordinary, but they are incredibly adaptable and well-evolved for their niche!

They live in burrows and walk around at night to graze when it's cooler, and they defend a home territory around these tunnels. The territories of Vombatus ursinus(common wombat) can cover nearly 60 acres! Their slow metabolism takes them up to 14 days to digest food. These traits allow them to thrive in the forests, mountains, and heathlands of southern and eastern Australia.

Wombats can be a target for dingos and Tasmanian devils, and were most likely eaten by Thylacoleo and thylacines(the "Tasmanian tiger") before their extinction. However, this critter is far from defenseless...

Their sharp claws are more suitable for digging, but their real defense is in...their butt! Their hide is especially tough at their rear, and their tails are too short to be used to pull the animal. These physical traits make it extremely difficult for would-be predators to catch the wombat as it makes a beeline for its burrow. Once inside, the clever critter uses its THICCness to block any attackers from entering!

Got a creature you wanna see featured? Whether it be an animal, plant, fungus, protist, or even a microbe, speak up and maybe I'll make a post about it!