Wombat facts Early explorers and settlers in Australia ate wombat meat. They also used the hides for doormats. As well as being hunted for meat and fur, wombats were persecuted for the damage they do to farms, gardens, and fences. Wombats are now protected in most parts of Australia. However, they are still at risk from vehicles, drought, bush fires, disease, and other hazards.
Captive wombats can be very tame and friendly.
They have a reputation for being stupid, but people who have raised orphaned wombats say they are really very clever. They are stubborn, though, and they tend to get people's attention by biting them. A man named Dante Gabriel Rossetti kept a pet wombat that slept on a silver serving dish on the dining table. Wombat pictures Click a picture to view the full-sized picture and information about it.