Wombats are commonly known as being “unfriendly” creatures.
But, one near Cessnock has bucked that description by rolling out an unlikely welcome mat.
Pictures recently sent to the World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia (WWF-Australia) show a wombat sharing its burrow with a fox and her cub at Murrays Run.
While one of the largest-burrowing mammals in the world sometimes tolerate other harmless species in their underground home, accepting a large predator appears highly unusual.
Yet, the sensor camera recorded a remarkable series of “comings and goings” on the same night indicating the animals were using the burrow at the same time.
This behaviour continued for the four days the photographic equipment was in place.
The landholder, who wished to remain anonymous, provided the images after reading about new research WWF-Australia supported, which showed wombat burrows provide critical shelter for numerous species following severe wildfire.
What makes his pictures fascinating is that wombats are known to be less-than-friendly with foxes.
In 2020, a Mange Management Facebook post – displaying a dead fox beside a wombat in a borrow entrance – reignited this theory.
Wildlife rescuer and carer Narelle Thompson has heard similar accounts.
“I was told the female wombat lays flat in the entrance giving the fox a false sense of assurance that it’s ok to climb over her back,” she said.
“But, once it’s in place, she stands up and crushes the fox between her hard armoured butt and the roof of the burrow.
“That’s why I find it extremely unusual for a wombat to be sharing its home with a fox.
“However, stranger things have happened.”
Mange Management’s Katja Gutwein said a landholder her non-profit worked with witnessed an epic battle of wills between the animals.
“The fox tried to take over the wombat’s burrow and each day it would carry vegetation in to create bedding,” she explained.
“Each night the indignant wombat would turf out the fox’s bedding.
“This went on for days until in the end the fox gave up.”
The Lower Hunter landholder, who recorded the remarkable burrow-sharing, set out to find the fox after a disturbing incident.
“There are eastern grey kangaroos and swamp wallabies on our 40-hectare property, which backs onto Olney State Forrest,” he said.
“I’d been finding dead wallaby joeys.
“Then one day my wife and I were horrified to see a fox jump up and bite open the neck of a wallaby.
“We chased it away.
“But, the wallaby could not be saved.
“I found a wombat burrow and outside the entrance was a partially eaten possum, a couple of bird carcases, and the remains of a small marsupial.
“I trained the sensor camera at the burrow entrance to confirm there was a resident fox.
“What I didn’t expect was to record a wombat sharing its burrow with a predator.
“Everyone I’ve spoken to was amazed by this behaviour.”
Given the carnage the fox was causing, the landholder humanely destroyed the fox.
He believes the cub, which was approaching maturity, dispersed because it was not seen again.
As for the wombats on his property, the landholder treated them for mange.
He is happy to report they “now all appear healthy”.
For more news stories:
- Feral deer targeted in Port Stephens area
- Site announced for new Medowie high school
- Numerous Hunter road projects keep TfNSW crews busy
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