This sturdy rump, and lack of a significant tail, make it difficult for a predator to grab on. When threatened, a wombat dives headfirst into a tunnel, blocking the entrance with its rump. One of the wombat's primary defenses is its toughened backside, which is mostly made of cartilage. To keep them in check, wombats gnaw on bark and tough vegetation. Wombat incisors, like those of rodents, are continuously growing. This slow metabolism helps them out in their hot and dry habitat.
It takes a wombat up to 14 days to digest a meal.
