Northern hairy-nosed wombat
The northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii), is one of three species of wombats. It is one of the rarest large mammals in the world and is critically endangered. Its historical range extended across New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland as recently as 100 years ago, but it is now restricted to one place, a 3-km2 range within the 32-km2 Epping Forest National Park in Queensland. In 2003, the total population consisted of 113 individuals, including only around 30 breeding females.
Northern hairy-nosed wombats can be 35 cm high, up to 1 m long and weigh up to 40 kg. The females are somewhat larger than the males because they have an extra layer of fat. They are slightly larger than the common wombat and able to breed somewhat faster (two young every three years). The northern hairy-nosed wombat's nose is very important in its survival because it has very poor eyesight, so it can smell its food in the dark. It takes about a day for a northern hairy-nosed wombat to dig a burrow with its sharp, about 5-cm-long claws.
The northern hairy-nosed wombat is nocturnal, and has been known to share burrows. Its diet is made up of coarse grasses and various types of roots. Its habitat has become infested with African buffel grass, which outcompetes the native grasses on which the wombat prefers to feed. One young is born at a time, often during the wet season. It stays in the pouch for six to 9 months, leaving its mother after a year
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