Wombat Facts: Cube Poop, Defense & Burrows

Wombats are stocky marsupials native only to Australia that build extensive underground burrow systems. Despite their cute, cuddly appearance, wombats are surprisingly fast, powerful, and capable of aggressive defense. They are most famous for being the only animal in the world that produces cube shaped poop, a biological mystery that fascinates scientists and the public alike.

Why Wombats Are the Only Animals with Cube Shaped Poop

Wombats produce 80 to 100 cube shaped droppings every night, a unique phenomenon in the animal kingdom. Their intestines have varying elasticity that molds the feces into cubes during the final stages of digestion. Wombats stack these cubes on rocks and logs to mark territory, and the cube shape prevents them from rolling away. Scientists studied this for years before discovering the intestinal mechanics.

How Wombats Use Their Rumps as Deadly Weapons

Wombats have incredibly hard, thick rumps made of cartilage, bone, and tough skin that they use as shields and weapons. When threatened in their burrows, a wombat blocks the tunnel with its rear end and crushes predators' skulls against the burrow ceiling. This defensive tactic has killed dingoes and foxes. The rump can withstand tremendous force without injury.

Why Wombat Pouches Face Backward

Unlike kangaroos with forward facing pouches, wombats have backward facing pouches that open toward their rear. This prevents dirt from entering the pouch and covering the baby while the mother digs extensive burrow systems. Female wombats dig constantly, and a backward pouch is essential for protecting joeys during construction and maintenance of tunnels.

The Surprising Speed of Wombats

Despite appearing slow and stocky, wombats can run up to 25 mph in short bursts when threatened. This speed surprises predators and allows wombats to reach their burrows quickly. Wombats typically move slowly to conserve energy but can accelerate rapidly when needed. Their powerful legs propel their heavy bodies at impressive speeds.

How Wombats Engineer Complex Underground Cities

Wombats dig burrow systems that can extend up to 650 feet with multiple entrances, tunnels, and sleeping chambers. These underground networks maintain stable temperatures and protect wombats from extreme heat and cold. Multiple wombats sometimes share burrow systems. Digging is so important that wombats have ever growing teeth and powerful claws.

Why Wombats Are Koalas' Closest Living Relatives

Wombats and koalas are the closest living relatives despite looking completely different. Both are marsupials that evolved from a common ancestor. They share similar digestive systems optimized for tough plant material and both have backward facing pouches. Genetic studies confirm their close relationship, though wombats live underground while koalas live in trees.