“Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, who humbleth Himself to behold the things . . . in the earth!”
Psalm 113:56
The wombat, sometimes called the Australian badger, is another of the interesting animals found in Australia. It is a marsupial, which means the mother carries her baby in a pouch until the baby is able to fend for itself. With most marsupials, this pouch is on the front of the mother’s body, like the kangaroo’s, but the wombat’s pouch is on her back. It would seem the Creator did this so that in digging her burrows she does not throw dirt into the pouch or on the little one inside.
Wombats are chubby and waddle when they walk, resembling bear cubs in many ways. Adults are two to three feet long and may weigh eighty pounds. Their long, coarse fur is most often brown, but some have fur that is gray, yellowish or black. They have broad heads with snouts like pigs, very small tails and strong legs and claws used for digging their burrows. They also have sharp teeth for gathering roots, leaves and bark for food, which is done at night. They curl up and sleep in their burrows during the day. These animals can be affectionate pets.
Babies are as tiny as mice at birth and immediately crawl into the mother’s pouch, where they nurse and develop for about six months. When the mother walks about, her baby may be seen poking its head out, watching where they are going.
One species, which lives in the southern forests and grasslands of Australia and nearby islands, has the name hairy-nosed and likes living together in large colonies. Their hair is silky, and with their long ears and furry muzzles they are rather cute.
A more common wombat has the name naked-nosed. This one is larger and has much coarser hair, short ears and a leathery nose free of fur. These prefer living in smaller groups.
All wombats, like badgers, are powerful and tough for their size. They live in burrows, many of which interlock with several openings. They will frequently move from one burrow to another, perhaps doing this to keep their enemies from knowing exactly where they nest.
Wombats are a good example of an interesting animal which God created and still cares for. The pouches of marsupials are an excellent illustration of how all animals have been created for their individual way of life. This way of life has continued “after their kind” ever since God said, “Let the earth bring forth the . . . beast of the earth after his kind” (Genesis 1:24). This includes the fact that a dirt-digging marsupial like the wombat was always to have its pouch on its back, in contrast to the others having theirs on the front. The wise Creator has made them this way.
ML-10/26/2003