The northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii), also called yaminon, is one of three living species of Australian marsupials known as wombats. It is one of the rarest land mammals in the world and is critically endangered. In the past, it lived in parts of New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland. Around 100 years ago, people thought the species had gone extinct. However, in the 1930s, about 30 individuals were found in a small area within Epping Forest National Park in Queensland. This area is 3 kilometers (1.2 square miles) large and is part of a 32-kilometer (12 square mile) national park. To protect the wombat from wild dogs, the Queensland Government built a 20-kilometer (12-mile)-long predator-proof fence around all wombat habitats in Epping Forest National Park in 2002. To help the species survive dangers like fire, flood, or disease, groups of wombats have been moved to two other locations.

In 2003, the total population was 113 individuals, with about 30 females that could have babies. By 2015, the number had increased to around 230. By 2021, it had grown to over 300, and by 2024, it reached over 400.

Taxonomy

In 1873, English naturalist Richard Owen described the species. The genus name Lasiorhinus comes from the Latin words lasios, meaning hairy or shaggy, and rhinus, meaning nose. The widely accepted common name is northern hairy-nosed wombat, named based on where the species used to live and the fur, or whiskers, on its nose. In older writings, it was sometimes called the Queensland hairy-nosed wombat.

The northern hairy-nosed wombat shares its genus with one other living species, the southern hairy-nosed wombat. The common wombat belongs to a different genus called Vombatus. Both species in the Lasiorhinus genus look different from the common wombat because they have silkier fur, wider, hairy noses, and longer ears.

Description

Wombats are generally strong and sturdy animals with large heads and short, strong legs. They use their powerful claws to dig burrows, which they often live in. It usually takes about one day for a wombat to dig a new burrow.

Northern hairy-nosed wombats have soft, grey fur covering their bodies. Their nose fur is different from the common wombat. They have longer, pointed ears and a wider face than the other two wombat species. These wombats can be 35 centimeters tall, up to 1 meter long, and weigh as much as 40 kilograms. This species shows sexual dimorphism, meaning females are slightly larger than males because they have an extra layer of fat. They are a bit bigger than common wombats and can have babies more quickly, with two young born every three years on average.

The northern hairy-nosed wombat relies heavily on its nose for survival because it has very poor eyesight. It uses its sense of smell to find food in the dark. Studies of their digestive system show that the stretchy ends of their large intestines can change liquid waste into cube-shaped droppings.

Distribution and habitat

Northern hairy-nosed wombats need deep sandy soils to dig their burrows and a steady supply of grass, which is their main food source. These conditions are typically found in open eucalypt woodlands.

At Epping Forest National Park, these wombats build their burrows in deep, sandy soils on levée banks that were formed by a creek that no longer flows through the area. They search for food in nearby areas with heavy clay soils but do not dig burrows there because the clay becomes too wet during the rainy season. In the park, burrows are often found near native bauhina trees (Lysiphyllum hookeri). These trees grow wide, and their roots may help support the large burrow systems made by the wombats.

By the 1980s, the northern hairy-nosed wombat’s habitat was limited to a single area of about 300 hectares (740 acres) in the Epping National Forest in east-central Queensland, 120 kilometers (75 miles) northwest of Clermont. Additional populations were later created at two sites near St George: the 130-hectare (320-acre) Richard Underwood Nature Refuge in 2009 and the 2,800-hectare (6,900-acre) Powrunna State Forest in 2024. Plans are in place to establish a fourth site by 2041.

Behaviour

The northern hairy-nosed wombat is active at night and lives underground in groups of tunnels called burrows. They stay underground during harsh weather because their burrows keep the same level of moisture and temperature. These wombats often share burrows with up to 10 others, with an equal number of males and females. Young wombats are usually born during the wet season, from November to April. When there is plenty of rain, about 50–80% of the female wombats in the population will have babies, giving birth to one baby at a time. Baby wombats stay in their mothers’ pouches for 8 to 9 months and are weaned by 12 months old.

The fat stored in their bodies and their slow use of energy allow northern hairy-nosed wombats to survive without eating for several days when food is not available. Even when they do eat, they spend only 6 hours a day feeding in winter and 2 hours a day in summer, which is much less than a similar-sized kangaroo, which eats for at least 18 hours daily. They eat native grasses, including black speargrass (Heteropogon contortus), bottle washer grasses (Enneapogon spp.), golden beard grass (Chrysopogon fallax), and three-awned grass (Aristida spp.), as well as different types of roots. Their teeth keep growing after childhood and are worn down by the rough grasses they eat. Their habitat has become filled with African buffel grass, a type of grass brought in for cattle grazing. This grass grows better than the more nutritious native grasses that wombats prefer, reducing the amount of native grass available. This forces wombats to travel farther to find their preferred food, which lowers the amount of food they can eat.

Conservation

The northern hairy-nosed wombat is classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as of 2021 (last assessed on June 15, 2015). It is also listed as Critically Endangered under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Qld).

In February 2018, the federal Department of the Environment and Energy (DoEE) changed the species’ conservation status under the EPBC Act from Endangered to Critically Endangered to match the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Because of this status, the species is included in the Species Profile and Threats Database (SPRAT).

Originally, there were two types of hairy-nosed wombats: the northern and the southern (Lasiorhinus latifrons). These species were separated by Spencer Gulf in South Australia. Both species saw population declines between 1870 and 1920 due to hunting by farmers, competition for food with introduced animals, and predation. Threats to the northern hairy-nosed wombat today include small population size, predation, competition for food, disease, floods, droughts, wildfires, and habitat loss. Its small, localized population makes it vulnerable to natural disasters. Wild dogs are the main predator, but invasive animals like European rabbits and land use changes also harm the species.

In 1993, the Queensland Government’s Department of Environment and Science (DES) and its predecessors began a recovery program with support from Glencore mining company and The Wombat Foundation.

To protect the species, several conservation efforts have been made in the 21st century. For example, a 2-meter-high, predator-proof fence was built around 20 kilometers of parkland in 2000. A second population, called an "insurance colony," was established at Richard Underwood Nature Refuge (RUNR) near St George, Queensland, in 2008. This reserve is surrounded by a predator-proof fence. In 2021, the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) partnered with DES to manage the animals in the sanctuary. In October 2023, AWC signed an agreement with DES to care for the wombats in the 130-hectare Richard Underwood Nature Reserve, while DES focused on the Epping Forest population.

In 2006, researchers studied the population by using double-sided tape in wombat burrows to collect hair. DNA analysis showed the ratio of female to male wombats was 1:2.25 in a group of about 113 wombats. This helped scientists understand the species’ demographics and led to further research on the gender imbalance.

Within Epping Forest National Park, more resources are now used for wombat research, population monitoring, fire management, fence maintenance, predator control, and removing invasive plants. The species recovery plan from 2004 to 2008 included community involvement, efforts to increase the population, and establishing new populations in the wombat’s historical range. A volunteer caretaker program allows people to help monitor the population and maintain the predator fence. DNA fingerprinting of wombat hair also helps study the species without trapping or using radio-tracking.

Studies have also been done to understand the wombat’s diet and nutrition.

Because of these efforts, the northern hairy-nosed wombat population has slowly grown.

• In the 1930s, about 30 wombats were found in Epping Forest after being thought extinct. By the early 1980s, only 35 remained.
• In 2003, the population was 113, including about 30 breeding females.
• In 2013, the population was estimated at 196, with 9 more at RUNR.
• In 2016, the population reached 250.
• In May 2021, researchers counted over 300 individuals.
• In June 2024, the total population was reported as over 400, including 18 at RUNR and 15 newly moved to Powrunna State Forest.