Wombats are one of the oddest-looking animals you'll ever see! Native to Australia, the comical animals look like short, stocky bears. But wombats are really marsupials, related to koalas and kangaroos.
Wide, strong feet with large claws make wombats masters at “digging it”! They dig with great zest and energy and are nicknamed the bulldozers of the bush. From the burrow, they create impressive tunnels underground that lead to sleeping chambers.
Wombats may look pudgy and slow, but they have powerful legs and can run up to 25 miles per hour (40 kilometers per hour) when needed! If threatened, a wombat dives headfirst into a tunnel, blocking the entrance with its sturdy backside.
Did you know? Wombat incisor teeth never stop growing but are gnawed down from the tough vegetation the animal eats. It can take a wombat up to 14 days to completely digest one meal.