
Common Wombat
Vombatus ursinus
Silhouette: Sarah Werning · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderDiprotodontia (Kangaroos, Possums, Wombats, and Allies)
- FamilyVombatidae (Wombats)
- GenusVombatus (Bare-nosed Wombats)
- SpeciesVombatus ursinus (Common Wombat)
About the Common Wombat
The common wombat (Vombatus ursinus), also known as the bare-nosed wombat, is a marsupial, one of three extant species of wombats and the sole extant member of the genus Vombatus. It has three subspecies: Vombatus ursinus hirsutus, found on the Australian mainland;
Vombatus ursinus tasmaniensis (Tasmanian wombat), found in Tasmania; and Vombatus ursinus ursinus (Bass Strait wombat), found on Flinders Island and Maria Island in the Bass Strait. The mainland subspecies is the largest of the three, with its largest specimens measuring up to 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) and 35 kg (77 lb). The common wombat is herbivorous, mainly nocturnal, and lives in burrows. Being a marsupial, its joeys inhabit a pouch on the mother for around five months after birth.
The common wombat was first described by George Shaw in 1800. Wikipedia →
Sounds
Call0:04
Australia · 2020
© Marc Anderson · XC959819 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Recording0:26
Australia · 2025
© katyw · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:15
Australia · 2024
© Julie K · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recent sightings of Common Wombat in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maria Island National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Freycinet National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Cities Where Found
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melbourne | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Zoos & Centres Where Found
Closest Relatives at Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Common Wombat in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park?
Very likely
Over 90% of wildlife watchers report a Common Wombat sighting in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park on a given day, based on 717 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the most-seen of the 9 mammals we can rate there.
When is the best time to see a Common Wombat in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park?
March–April and June–November
In those months over 90% of wildlife watchers report a Common Wombat in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park on a given day, against about 90% in May and December–February, the lowest months.
What time of day is best to see a Common Wombat?
Between 3 and 6 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Wombat sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Is Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park the best place to see a Common Wombat?
Among the best
Of the 6 parks where we can rate Common Wombat sightings, Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park ranks 2nd at over 90%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Maria Island National Park (Australia, over 90%). All parks ranked.
Which relatives of the Common Wombat live in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park?
Same order: Diprotodontia
The closest relatives of the Common Wombat that you can see in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park (order Diprotodontia, Kangaroos, Possums, Wombats, and Allies) are Red-bellied Pademelon (about 90%), Red-necked Wallaby (about 80%) and Common Brushtail (about 60%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the Common Wombat sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Wombat is recorded against all the mammals logged in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park (717 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.