Wombat bums: there's more than meets the eye
Not simply designed for sitting, a wombat’s bum is its best defence against attack.
By Australian Geographic • November 3, 2020 • Reading Time: 2 Minutes
A wombat's backside is made up of four fused plates surrounded by cartilage, fat, skin and fur. Image credit: Colin Munro / Alamy Stock Photo
Scientist Alyce Swinbourne is the unofficial expert on wombat bums. Her research into wombat reproduction means she’s had to get up close and personal with the shapely marsupial mammal on many occasions. And what may look like a soft, plump derrière, is actually quite the opposite.
A wombat’s backside is made up of four fused plates surrounded by cartilage, fat, skin and fur, which it uses to mate, excavate and defend. In fact, using its exterior to block its burrow is one of its primary defence mechanisms, not only against predators, but also other wombats.
Bum crushing
There are countless stories about fox and dingo skulls being found outside wombat burrows, prompting speculation that the wombat uses its big rump to crush predators.
“A wombat’s butt is certainly tough enough to do this, and it is an important defence mechanism against attack,” says Alyce.
More:
https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/wildlife/2020/11/wombat-bums-theres-more-than-meets-the-eye/
Short wombat video at link.
= new reply since forum marked as read
So that's how it happened!
