Mammals
Northern Hairy-Nosed Wombat
Lasiorhinus krefftii · also called yaminon
Grazing within sight of the predator-proof fence that has kept its species alive, a northern hairy-nosed wombat represents one of the most dramatic conservation turnarounds in Australian history, recovered from a low of just 35 animals confined to a single small park.
Overview
The northern hairy-nosed wombat, Lasiorhinus krefftii, is one of the rarest large mammals in the world, native to a highly restricted area of grassland and forest habitat in central Queensland, Australia. Its recovery from a population low of around 35 individuals, protection behind a dedicated predator-proof fence, and recent establishment at a second protected site make it one of the most intensively managed and genuinely hard-won conservation success stories among Australia’s marsupials.
Brought back from the very edge
Few mammals anywhere have come as close to extinction and survived as the northern hairy-nosed wombat, a species that spent decades confined to a single small park before dedicated, painstaking conservation work slowly rebuilt its numbers.
Status
Critically Endangered, though decades of intensive conservation, including predator-proof fencing and translocation to a second site, have supported a slow but genuine population recovery.
Northern Hairy-Nosed Wombat: common questions
How rare is the northern hairy-nosed wombat?
This species is considered one of the rarest large mammals anywhere in the world, with its entire wild population confined for decades to a single small protected area in Queensland, though a second population has since been established through careful translocation.
How did the northern hairy-nosed wombat recover from such low numbers?
This species declined to a population of roughly 35 individuals at its lowest point before intensive, decades-long conservation efforts, including a predator-proof fence excluding dingoes and other threats, helped numbers slowly recover to several hundred today.
Why was the northern hairy-nosed wombat moved to a second site?
This species has been translocated to a second protected site specifically to reduce the risk that a single disease outbreak, bushfire, or other disaster at its one remaining natural location could wipe out the entire global population at once.
How is the northern hairy-nosed wombat different from the southern hairy-nosed wombat?
This species is closely related to the more widespread southern hairy-nosed wombat, but survives today in a tiny fraction of the range and numbers of its more common relative, making it Critically Endangered while the southern species remains of Least Concern.