Video: Extremely Rare (and Adorable) Baby Animal Caught on Camera

Conservationists from the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) have celebrated a milestone in conservation efforts after capturing rare footage of a critically endangered baby northern hairy-nosed wombat wandering late at night in south-west Queensland.

With only 400 individuals remaining in the world, every sighting, especially of a juvenile, is significant.

The northern hairy-nosed wombat, one of Australia’s most endangered mammals, is found in only three locations: Epping Forest National Park, Powrunna State Forest and the Richard Underwood Nature Refuge (RUNR), where this individual was recently spotted.

“It’s very gratifying to know that one of the world’s most endangered animals is thriving and reproducing in the safety of the fenced area,” Andy Howe, AWC senior field ecologist, said in a statement.

Howe made the discovery while combing through more than 100 hours of video footage taken by RUNR camera traps, which showed the wombat emerging from an active burrow, providing clear evidence that breeding is once again taking place at the refuge.

From the images, the young wombat appears to be healthy, with a smooth coat and no visible injuries. Howe believes this wombat is likely a baby first detected as a large pouch on another wombat earlier in 2023.

Wombats are marsupials, so like some of Australia’s other iconic residents (think koalas and kangaroos), their newborns stay warm and protected in their mother’s pouch.

“The wombat is quite robust, which indicates that it is feeding well and getting enough nutrients,” Howe added. “Overall, this sequence tells us a lot about the health of the RUNR population, showing us that the wombats are enjoying the right conditions and are comfortable enough to breed.”

Motion-sensing cameras, funded by a federal grant from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water’s Native Species Conservation Program, have played a key role in monitoring the wombats.

The $384,000 grant will also support other research and conservation efforts, including developing a fire management strategy, weed control and preventing wild herbivore incursions.

Fire management is particularly important, with nearly half a billion mammals, birds and reptiles affected by fires, according to a 2020 report.

The AWC is also working with the University of Adelaide on a genetic management plan, which will involve collecting and analysing wombat hair samples to inform future translocations and improve genetic diversity within the species.

“Government funding enables AWC and its partners to improve the trajectory of the species by reducing key threats, initiating a genetic management plan and increasing data knowledge, which will support a growing and sustainable population at RUNR and hopefully help establish future populations,” Howe said.

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