In addition to mange, wild wombat populations face further threats including road collisions, illegal shooting, habitat loss due to expanding development, and extreme environmental events such as droughts, floods, and bushfires.

To combat these threats, the non-profit organisation Wombat Rescue was founded in 2018. It is the only organisation in the Australian Capital Territory dedicated to helping common wombats. Its mission is to rescue, treat and rehabilitate sick, injured or orphaned wombats, raise public awareness, and provide expert advice. Whenever possible, rehabilitated wombats are returned to the wild using a soft-release approach. This gradual reintroduction allows the animals time to adjust to their environment and learn to forage independently—giving them a greater chance of long-term survival.

A wild wombat suffering from mange. The blue marking indicates that treatment has already begun. Photo: Wombat Rescue

Prague Zoo—the only zoo in the Czech Republic to keep common wombats— has partnered with Wombat Rescue under the patronage of Her Excellency Jana Tyrer, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Australia. With a donation of CZK 400,000 from the fundraising account We Help Them to Survive, we supported the construction of two specialised enclosures that allow healthy wombats to be gradually released into the wild using the soft-release method. The common wombat is not currently listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List; our shared goal is to ensure that this remains the case long into the future.

You can learn more about wombats here.

Volunteers digging artificial wombat burrows as part of a soft-release enclosure project. The animals only return to the wild once they are fully ready. Photo: Wombat Rescue

Supported organisation and area:
Wombat Support and Rescue New South Wales / Australian Capital Territory

Amount:  
CZK 400,000 (AU$ 25,840)