Skip to main content
Global Animal Guide

What Do Wombats Eat?

Quick answer

Wombats feed on herbivore (grasses, roots, bark, sedges), adjusting seasonally based on local habitat and prey or plant availability.

By the Global Animal Guide editorial team Last reviewed How we research & review

Diet overview

Wombats are mammals that rely on herbivore (grasses, roots, bark, sedges). The wombat (Vombatus ursinus) is a stocky, short-legged Australian marsupial and one of the world's largest burrowing animals. It is the only animal known to produce cube-shaped faeces — a result of unique gut elasticity that moulds droppings so they do not roll away.

Feeding behaviour

Foraging strategy varies by season. Wombats may hunt, graze, filter-feed, or scavenge depending on ecology.

Role in the food web

As mammals, they interact with predators, prey, and competitors across their range.

Human-related feeding risks

Never feed wild wombats — it habituates animals to people and can spread disease.

Sources

FAQs

What do wombats eat?

Herbivore (grasses, roots, bark, sedges).

Are wombats carnivores or herbivores?

Their diet is best described as: herbivore (grasses, roots, bark, sedges).

Do wombats change diet seasonally?

Yes — many species shift food sources as seasons and prey abundance change.

Can I feed wild wombats?

No — feeding wild animals is unsafe and often illegal.

← Back to Wombat guide