TIL About Wombat's Superpower
Our planet is full of amazing creatures, and we are not familiar with many of them. The Australian animals (most of which are endemic) have always fascinated me.
At first glance they look very cute and strange, the habitat has gave to each of them unique abilities (for example, the same platypus is poisonous, like probably 90% of all that lives in Australia. I was in shock when I found out, platypus has a hidden thorns with poison on their hind legs). But today we will talk about a really cute Australian residents- wombats.
In the beginning, before opening the main super power of the wombats, I'd like to share a video that made me learn more about these animals (it lifted my mood for the day).
Short story: 4 months ago, the mother of George died under the wheels of car. The woman who found her body decided to check her bag (wombats are marsupials, like many other animals of Australia), because she knew that after the death of his mother-cub can stay alive in her bag for a few days. She was right, in the bag she saw alive and scared George.
image source
George was taken to the Australian Reptile Park, where he came under the tutelage of Tim Faulkner, and today he feels great. Favorite game of George is stalking Tim wherever he went, when George catches up his new dad, he immediately turns onto his stomach, demanding the hugs. When George grows up he will be released into the wild, wombats are easily adapted.
Some interesting facts about wombats:
Wombats are the largest of mammals (they are herbivores), that dig burrows and live most of the time underground. Complex tunnel systems, that they dig, reach about 20 meters long and 3.5 meters in depth.
Wombats reach a length of from 70 to 130 cm and a weight of from 20 to 45 kg. Their distant ancestor is Diprotodon, which reached a weight of 200 kg and was approximately the size of a hippopotamus: about three meters in length and about two in the withers
image sourceDespite their size and visual clumsiness, a wombat can reach speeds of up to 42 km/h (the maximum speed of Usain Bolt 44 km/h). They have virtually no enemies in the wild, many wombats are killed by cars, because they are nocturnal animals.
They have very slow and efficient metabolism, they need 14 days to digest food. Wombats are the most economical users of water of all mammals, after the camel: enough only 22 ml of water/ kg of body weight per day.
Wombats have a special structure of the rear part of the body - the skin on the butt is very thick, and the special structure of bone and cartilage makes it very durable. In case of danger they can to block the hole turning his back, and repel any attack, either crush booty striker on the walls of the hole.
And finally, a super ability of wombats, which struck me deeply: due to the special structure of the pelvis, their poop have a cube form! It looks like a joke, but it is in fact, in this case the joking nature itself.
image source (it's real)This poop's form developed by evolution specifically: it prevents them from rolling away when wombat marking his territory.
image source
In my language there is a phrase : make something out of shit and sticks (that on sense means done badly and it's not clear, but it works). But wombat's poop can really help build something. Imagine what bricks were produced by their ancestors-Diprotodons…sources: Wombat, Diprotodon, Rescued baby wombat george, Wombats poo SQUARES!
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I really enjoyed learning about wombats! Thanks. If this keeps up, i might start a quiz team. How can we have quiz teams and a quiz league on steemit?! Might do a post :)
Thank you. And your idea of a quiz is very interesting, you got me thinking...
Well if you come up with something good...don't hold back, get it out there ;)
No doubt I'll share my thoughts... if they will be decent ;)
Wombats hey, wow!
I think this is now my favorite animals :)
Awesome!
I love this video. Baby wombats are very cute.