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Wombats Dig 20 Meter Well For Animals During A Drought

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AnonymousAnonymous
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11 Feb 2021, 7:13 pm

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/in-new-south-wales-wombats-dig-20-meter-well-for-animals-during-drought/


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Jiheisho
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11 Feb 2021, 7:16 pm

The world needs more wombats.



blazingstar
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11 Feb 2021, 7:27 pm

In Florida, which has a dry season each year, some worse than others, alligators perform this function. As the swamp dries up, the alligator thrashes around creating a watering hole for many creatures. --but not as deep or impressive as the wombat.

One would wonder why this wombat moved from it's typical location to a less desirable one.


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goldfish21
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13 Feb 2021, 1:05 am

That's pretty cool. 8)


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Teach51
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13 Feb 2021, 3:25 am

Nature is so much better without human intervention :wink:


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cyberdad
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13 Feb 2021, 5:03 am

I am Australian and I've never heard a wombat doing this...could it be possible the wombat was seeking water for himself and family....the other animals benefited



kraftiekortie
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13 Feb 2021, 6:18 am

Could be....



naturalplastic
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13 Feb 2021, 10:54 am

cyberdad wrote:
I am Australian and I've never heard a wombat doing this...could it be possible the wombat was seeking water for himself and family....the other animals benefited


Yes. I doubt that the wombat thought it out as "something that I will do for other animal species".

Its probably some instictive thing that they do in drought. Maybe akin to American beavers building dams. Beavers arent even "thinking" of themselves. They just have an instinct to react to the sound of rushing water- if I hear rushing water I stop that sound by stopping the water with a plug of mud and sticks. And the result is a little reservoir of water behind a dam of a stream that creates a whole local ecosystem for themselves and other organisms. But it looks like a miniature version of the Tennesee Valley Authority- a deliberate public works project concieved by a government and executed by engineers!



AnonymousAnonymous
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13 Feb 2021, 11:08 pm

Teach51 wrote:
Nature is so much better without human intervention :wink:


I concur.


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cyberdad
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13 Feb 2021, 11:22 pm

naturalplastic wrote:
cyberdad wrote:
I am Australian and I've never heard a wombat doing this...could it be possible the wombat was seeking water for himself and family....the other animals benefited


Yes. I doubt that the wombat thought it out as "something that I will do for other animal species".

Its probably some instictive thing that they do in drought. Maybe akin to American beavers building dams. Beavers arent even "thinking" of themselves. They just have an instinct to react to the sound of rushing water- if I hear rushing water I stop that sound by stopping the water with a plug of mud and sticks. And the result is a little reservoir of water behind a dam of a stream that creates a whole local ecosystem for themselves and other organisms. But it looks like a miniature version of the Tennesee Valley Authority- a deliberate public works project concieved by a government and executed by engineers!


I read the article and it looks like the wombat dug a regular burrow for shelter that happened to be close to an underground water table. The burrow flooded which isn't probably what the wombat wanted but it became a boon for thirsty animals who ventured into the burrow to drink. Meanwhile the hero of the day probably shrugged his shoulders and went and dug another burrow that was cool and dry :lol: