Mammals

Wombat Welfare: Road Mortality and Mange in Australia

Wombats are iconic Australian marsupials suffering from vehicle strikes, sarcoptic mange epidemics, and habitat loss.

Key Facts

Sarcoptic mange has caused catastrophic population declines in bare-nosed wombats
Mange causes hair loss, thickened skin, and slow death over months from secondary infections
Vehicle strikes kill thousands of wombats annually on Australian roads
Wombats are the largest burrowing mammals on Earth
The Mange Management Project treats wild wombats with flupyrazarone in burrow-based dispensers

Welfare Considerations

Sarcoptic mange is one of the most inhumane wildlife diseases imaginable: affected wombats are progressively blinded by crust formation, become emaciated, and die slowly over 3-6 months of untreated suffering. Treatment is possible but logistically difficult at scale. Vehicle strikes are instantaneously traumatic but roadside mortalities often leave joeys in pouches that survive but are abandoned.

What You Can Do

Donate to the Mange Management Project and Wombat Protection Society
Check the pouch of any roadside wombat carcass for surviving joeys
Slow down when driving in wombat habitat at dawn and dusk
Support wildlife corridor programs that reduce wombat road exposure
Report mange-affected wombats to local wildlife authorities for treatment