Marsupials: Wombats

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

Wombats are marsupials, just like kangaroos, koalas, and gliders.

A marsupial is a mammal that has underdeveloped babies that live in their mother's pouch until they are developed.

• Do you remember what a mammal is?

If you don't know for sure, read the lesson found in Additional Resources in the right-hand sidebar.

Also, if you missed or would like to review the previous Related Lessons in our Marsupials series, you will find them in the right-hand sidebar.

Wombats live in southern Australia and on islands off the coast of Australia.

These critters are burrowers. They can be found in multi-tunnel burrows in eucalyptus forests and grasslands.

Some wombats live in groups, while others, like the common wombat, prefer to live alone.

All wombats are nocturnal.

• What does it mean to be nocturnal?

If you said nocturnal animals sleep all day and are active during the night, you're right! During the night, wombats will feed on the bark of trees, grasses, and plant roots. They are herbivores (plant eaters).

Wombats have a pouch where their newborn babies live. The baby wombat stays in its mother's pouch for about five months.

The little wombat will continue to seek shelter from danger in its mother's pouch until it is seven months old. When a wombat is around seven months old, it is ready to live on its own.

Before moving on to the next section, explain what wombats eat.

After reviewing what you know about a wombat's diet, continue on to the Got It? section to discover more about these cute creatures!