Amazing Animals of Australia

Of all the unique animals resident in Australia my favorite is the wombat. As all my colleagues at work can attest to, I just love the wombat (now my computer wallpaper). Just look at the little guy. He looks so cute and cuddly, almost like a miniature bear. In my mind I imagine them frolicking in the forest and laying about in the sun. It's hard to believe that the wombat is really a marsupial who burrows under ground and has rather coarse hair. Though word is that they make good pets. But it seems you can't purchase them in a pet store, I think we'd have to catch one in the wild in order to make it a pet and frankly I can't see that going over well at US Customs upon our return. Oh well, I guess I'll have to give up my dream of Spot our pet wombat.

It's amazing how many animals native to Australia are marsupials. Not only that but Australia's most well known fauna are marsupials: kangaroo, koala, platypus, and of course the wombat. I wonder what it is about region that is so friendly to animals with pouches? Perhaps at some stage of evolution, the animals who were able to survive in Australia were those that could protect their young from the harsh elements by carrying them in their natural baby slings. Maybe we stole the idea of the sling from them. Great! Now every time I see someone walking down the street carrying a baby in a sling, I'll think, there goes the human-kangaroo.