WombatJoey2

TUNNELING THROUGH THE FAMILY TREE
Mom and dad are both pretty notable. Kambora was the last wombat born in North America back in 2000. Goldie's father, Carver, was born at Brookfield Zoo in 1975, when the zoo became the first outside Australia to breed Southern hairy-nosed wombats. At 32 years old, Carver is the oldest of this species in recorded history. Considered to be a geriatric animal, he has gotten special care for cataracts, arthritis, and skin cancer.

DIGGING THEMSELVES A DEEPER HOLE
Southern hairy-nosed wombats are thick heavy-bodied animals in central southern Australia. They are about the size of a medium-size dog but are much more rounded and solidly built. You could say that wombats like to dig, but that would be an understatement—wombats are utterly designed to dig! Wombats live in warrens. These are complex underground tunnel systems that are at the center of wombat life. They have long claws, a stubby tail, a flattened head that looks too big for their body, and short powerful legs. Even the female’s pouch is designed for life underground--- it opens away from her front legs to keep flying dirt out.

ENDO-WHAT?
Endocrinology! It is the science of hormones, or chemicals, within the body— and it has played a major role in tracking the wombat mother's reproductive cycle. For the past several years, scientists at Chicago Zoological Society (CZS), which manages Brookfield Zoo, have been monitoring the reproductive cycle of Kambora and past females wombats at the zoo. These valuable data can be used for future breeding introductions and predictions of seasonal patterns. Earlier this year, CZS staff presented these new findings at the Western Regional Conference of the Association of Zoo and Aquariums.

LENDING A HAND DOWN UNDER
CZS initiated a milestone conservation effort in Australia in 1971 to help protect these rare marsupials and their habitats. Money was raised to purchase a large tract of land that was a threatened wombat habitat. Today the land is known as the Brookfield Conservation Park and is an official piece of the national parks system in Australia. The project has served as a model for the conversion of millions of additional acres in Australia into designated conservation areas.

SURELY IT WARRENS A VISIT...
Though Goldie has begun to venture out of the pouch, the little wombat will take on independence gradually, climbing back into the pouch when it feels frightened or disturbed. Keepers expect Goldie to be much more visible in July, when it turns 9 months old and is a full-time explorer! So tunnel on down to Australia House next month and DIG it! If you cannot make it to the zoo, then take a look at the intimate photos and videos of the joey's development, and see for yourself how wonderful wombats really are.

Looking for a gift that people will really DIG?
Purchase a Share the Care package online and help the zoo care for Carver Wombat. Get a personalized certificate, animal photo, and more---just for showing you care.