Animal Diaries Archive

Wombat Celebrations by Chizel

28 December 2007

Being a wombat at Australia Zoo is so much fun, we walk all around, exploring all the places that we haven't seen before, eating fresh grass and smelling all those new smells that get brought into the zoo. We have so much fun playing with the keepers and we sometimes get special treats that we just love. Believe it or not we also get excellent Christmas and Birthday parties too.

Hi, my name is Chizel and I'm the oldest male Common Wombat at the Zoo. There are six of us Common Wombats and three Southern Hairy nose Wombats.

Two weeks ago I turned 20! My keepers say that's excellent. If I lived in the wild I'd only live for about half of that time. I've heard that the oldest wombat that has ever lived in captivity lived to be a whopping 26 years old. Myself and my other wombat friends all think I will break that record for sure!

My birthday was so much fun, the keepers and the rovers threw a massive party for me. Everyone was there, even all my wombat friends and family. We had cake!! It was made out of all of my favourite treats like carrot, sweet potato, corn, macro pallets and even peanuts. It was Yummy. I was so spoilt I even got a present and it was wrapped with palm leaves, it was so much fun opening it up with my big teeth. You might see what I got in the Photograph. Yep, that's me in my beautiful bright red harness. They say that red makes you run fast; I can already run at 40km an hour, so I don't think I need to run any faster than that.

So that was my birthday, can't wait until next year. Lately I've heard the keepers talk about a thing called Christmas, sounds fun! I hope we get special treats and big cuddles on that day too, whiskers crossed.
So remember, next time your at Australia Zoo be sure to come and visit me. I'll probably be in my favourite spot, in my den in the Common wombat enclosure.
I'm the handsome big blonde boy.