Jody the baby wombat

We think one of the cutest Australian animals is the wombat. So it was tremendously exciting when Jeanine told us that we could go into work with her at the zoo and meet a baby wombat!

Wombats are slow-moving, muscular marsupials. They are herbivores, spending many hours each night grazing on native grasses and roots. They live in burrows, digging extensive systems of tunnels with their powerful claws. Sadly, expanding human settlement is steadily encroaching on their habitat, making accidents with cars more and more common.

Jody is a seven month old baby wombat who was orphaned in one such accident. She is being raised by a colleague of Jeanine's at the zoo, in close contact with humans. When she is older she might participate in programs with kids. Wombats are usually laid back and slow creatures, and Jody spends most of her time napping in the office. When they are comfortable and relaxed, they like to sleep belly up!

Meghan picked her up, and was in wombat heaven straightaway, cooing over the furry little bundle of joy...



Jody seemed to enjoy being cuddled, although it was hard to tell who was happier, the cuddler or the cuddlee. Even when she was on the ground, we found that she would happily roll over for attention, exposing her soft belly to be stroked. Here she is, being cuddled by Meghan, Shami, Jeanine, and Sean.











Just look at her grin!


Meghan really wanted to smuggle Jody out of the zoo in her bag, but sadly, it was nap time again, and we had to put the sleepy wombat back to bed. Good bye, Jody! Meghan is still bubbling over about the whole experience...