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You have seen a kangaroo, a koala and even a dingo, but can you successfully describe a wombat? Before you head Down Under on locum assignment, it would not hurt to know a thing or two about these Australian animals.
Wombats were often called badgers by early European settlers because of their appearance. However, similar to their fellow Australian animals, the kangaroo and koala, they are in fact marsupials. Unlike kangaroos, the wombat's pouch is backwards-facing, which helps it keep dirt out when digging.
If you venture into the forests and mountainous regions of Australia during your time Down Under, you may stumble onto one or more wombats. However, you have nothing to fear, as these animals are herbivores. On average, they can grow to be around 39 inches in length and weigh between 44 and 77 pounds.
During the month of October, you and your fellow locum tenens might hear that the 22nd is Wombat Day. This is an unofficial holiday that began in 2005 and commemorates the beginning of the Aboriginal spring planting season.
If you would like to see a wombat, and don't want to venture into the forest, then you can visit the Australia Zoo in Queensland, which is the home of several of these marsupials.