Murder under the Microscope 2015 Online Tasks
Primary Quiz 2 Northern hairy-nosed wombat
The northern hairy-nosed wombat, Lasioorhinus kreffti is critically endangered.
Approximately 200 are alive. They live in two small locations in central and southern
Queensland. The northern hairy-nosed wombat is restricted to deep sandy soils in open
eucalypt woodlands and grassland. Heavy clay soils support some of the native grasses upon
which the wombats graze but are unsuitable for burrows.
An adult wombat weighs about 32kg and is over 1 metre in length. It is the largest wombat
species and largest burrowing herbivore. It has soft, grey fur over its stout body and a broad
hairy snout.
Northern hairy-nosed wombats were believed to be extinct until a small population was
discovered in 1937 in an area that has become the Epping Forest National Park (Scientific) in
central Queensland. This is designated as a scientific national park so that access is
restricted for research and well-being of the wombats.
Major efforts have been placed on the recovery program including the removing of cattle,
building of predator-proof fences and the establishment of a second location for the
population. Numbers fell below 100 after wild dog predation prompting the first predatorproof fence at Epping Forest National Park.
Conservationists were delighted with the resulting increase of population. A captive
breeding program was considered, but their shy disposition and slow reproductive rate put
that on hold.
The risk of losing all in a fire, flood, disease or drought prompted major efforts to establish
another population in their natural habitat. This occurred in 2009 when a small group were
transferred to the Richard Underwood Nature Reserve in southern Queensland. The
progress of this group has been carefully monitored. Trials are also being conducted see if it
is feasible to have southern hairy-nosed mothers ‘foster’ northern hairy-nosed wombat
young to increase birth rates.
The reclusive temperament of the northern hairy-nosed wombat has led to an innovation in
technology used for monitoring the population. The traditional method of capture/tag and
release/ recapture proved disturbing for the wombats and was not that accurate.
One study using radio tracking in the 1980’s was useful in helping to confirm the feeding
range and movements of these nocturnal animals. Nowadays double sided sticky tape is the
technology of choice for a census. Wombats traversing a gateway to a burrow brush against
the tape so that their hair becomes attached. Analysis of the DNA (inherited material) from
the hair helps to identify and so count the population.
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Murder under the Microscope 2015 Online Tasks
Remote cameras are also placed strategically to monitor wombats and particularly to
identify females carrying a young in the pouch. They are infra-red sensitive and so are
particularly useful for recording the night activities of wombats. Mapping of tunnels and
burrows occurred by the insertion of cameras through portholes at the entrance and then
along the length of the burrows.
Some burrows range up to 3m deep and 90m long. They are mainly found in dry creek beds
where tree roots hold the sandy soil together sufficiently to stabilise tunnels. The wombats
use a combination of digging with front paws and then using both front and then rear paws
to scrape back the sand to finally reverse out, bulldozing out the excavated sand with their
rumps. The burrows, along with nocturnal activity help the wombat survive dry, hot
conditions and conserve energy.
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