The Wombats in Chausuyama Zoo

June 21, 2002

There are three wombats (two females and one male) in Chausuyama Zoo,
Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture.
They came to Japan in 1995 from Taronga Zoo in Australia
They were donated to Nagano City in memory of the Nagano Winter Olympic.


You can see wombats both in the room, and outside in this zoo,
though it is dark in the room because the curtain is drawn over the window.
It's also good for the wombats that they can go out of the room or be in the room as they like.
One female wombat was separated from the other two and
unfortunately her outdoor grounds was smaller than theirs.

It was lucky for me to have been able to see at least one wombat moving
while the zoo was open.

I have been in the zoo for seven hours and for most of the time I was with the wombats.


* "a wombat map" in Japan is here.


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For a start, the lesser panda(left) and a wombat welcome you!

  

 Enlarging a wombat.........
Shovel?! 


         

Passing through the gate of the lesser panda and a wombat,
you will get to the entrance of the zoo.



South entrance.



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Five minutes' walk from the entrance will take you to the wombats' house where three wombats live.


If you take the stairs in the center of the picture, you can enter the wombat room.




The Wombats' Rooms

A keeper closed the doors and began to clean their rooms.

The room in the middle is Chataro's, the room on the left is Sumire's
and the room on the right is Momoko's


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Introduction of Three Wombats





I'm Chataro.
I may be timid.....
I'm with Sumire in the same enclosure in the daytime now.
Sumire is a little bit tough and she makes me go away
when I creep up on her.

As for today, I couldn't enter my room for a while because she has been in my room and has been eating my grass.






Hi, I'm Sumire.
It can be said that I'm a little tough though I have a lovely face.
Do you think I'm fattish?
That's because I have a good appetite.

I went into Chataro's room and ate his breakfast a little bit after eating mine this morning, because he hadn't come back to his own room while I was eating his grass.
I'm very good at scratching, too.



I'm Momoko.
I'm the most gentle among the three and I usually sleep in my room in the daytime.
To tell the truth, I feel tired.
It is impossible for me to go to the playground because the door leading to the playground is closed. 
I wish I could walk and dig in the evening!

Did anyone see me biting the metal gate leading to the large playground?
Please let me go to the playfield.





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Chataro & Sumire


Sumire and Chataro are together for breeding.



Chataro waits and sees how Sumire(on the left) does


Excuse me, Can I pass by you?
Oh, Sumire is in front of my room. 
Sumire(on the left) looks like she's brushing her teeth.
I'll take a walk.
I'll slip out of here as Sumire(on the left) is grooming.
The playground which Chataro and Sumire share
It is steep slope here and this enables the wombats to dig the cave.

It is Chataro who is under the slope.
Momoko approached the fence and was looking at Chataro.
Momoko has been biting this gate from three to four o'clock in the afternoon.

She seemed to say, " Let me go out of the fence, please."


note: Chataro passed away on April 15 in 2004 though he was very fine when I visited him in September in 2002.
( Please see Chataro's page)


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Sumire's page

Chataro's page

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