Sneaky Wombat Rummages Through Camper’s Tent

Warning strong language. Camping is an exciting activity for the whole family where you can discover new places and explore new experiences. It also offers you the chance to get close to nature and that is what appeals most to many people. But what happens when nature wants to get a little closer to you than you had planned? In this hilarious clip a family return to their tent to find a wombat helping itself to their food supplies. Take a look at the clip below to see a wombat rummaging inside a camper’s tent!

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Wombat Rummages Through A Camper’s Tent!

It looks as if an Australian family has returned to their tent to find an unexpected and unwelcome visitor. The tent window is torn – we are not clear whether it was the wombat that was to blame for this!  Nevertheless, the cheeky animal has used this as an entry point and is sticking its nose inside various grocery bags presumably looking for a tasty snack.

The family make sure that the visitor knows they are back by shouting loudly and the wombat makes its escape through the hole. However, it does not look at all guilty and saunters away in its own time. What a cheek!

What Do Wombats Normally Eat?

In the above clip, the wombat leaves empty-handed. According to the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, wombats are strict herbivores so they only eat plants. Also, the New South Wales Environment and Heritage Department explain that these animals can spend up to eight hours a day grazing. They love the native grasses that grow in the area including snow grass, wallaby grass, and kangaroo grass. If they get the chance to eat sedges and roots of shrubs and trees then that’s even better!

Are Wombats Harmful To Campers?

There are some very good reasons for discouraging wombats from entering your tent. They carry a condition called Sarcoptic mange which is a skin disease caused by a mite called Sarcoptes scabiei. The mite burrows into their skin causing inflammation and itchiness. It can make the wombats very sick and can even kill them.  

This is the same mite that causes scabies in humans and unfortunately, we can get it from wombats. If you see a sick wombat you should not go near it. There are programs underway in Australia to treat the resident wombats. If you would like to read more about how wombats may be dangerous check out our A-Z Animals article Are Wombats Dangerous?

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Tiffany-Jane Pe Than/iStock via Getty Images