David Vala, the zoo’s wombat keeper, said: “Looking at the mother from the side, you can see increased movement; however, from behind, you may even spot the joey poking its head—which is completely hairless—or its limbs out of the pouch.” Wombat fans can often see him at work, and he went on to add: “Winkleigh shows more trust in us now and is friendlier than when she raised Prague Zoo’s first joey, Mersey. Not only does she allow us to check on her while she is feeding, but she also lets us feel her pouch. That way, we know her joey is already large enough to fit into a human hand.”

It is not so much the birth itself, but rather the moment the young peep out of the pouch that represents the most important milestone in a wombat baby’s life. Like other marsupials, wombats are born at an embryonic stage. Pavel Brandl, Prague Zoo’s curator of mammals, explained: “After a short pregnancy of about three to four weeks, the joey must crawl into the pouch immediately after birth. It remains there for around six to nine months. However, its movements become noticeable only after about two to three months. Our joey is still developing, and although it is too early to speak of complete success, everything so far appears to be progressing well.”

Over the winter, the joey will begin to leave the pouch for short excursions. Like its older sister Mersey, it makes loud noises while suckling. The mother, Winkleigh, is also vocal when feeding. The male, Cooper—who celebrated his fifth birthday last month—has much quieter eating habits. The breeding pair currently shares an indoor enclosure and an outdoor run. Initially, they also shared a nest for sleeping; however, when caring for young, the female prefers solitude, and they now sleep separately.

Mersey, the first wombat ever bred in the Czech Republic, will most likely be transferred to another zoo next year, in accordance with the recommendations of the European coordinator for common wombat breeding.