Incredible wildlife camera footage recorded in Australia has brought hope to conservationists — and captured an adorable encounter between two unusual creatures.
A critically endangered juvenile northern hairy-nosed wombat strolled into the camera shot, snuffling among the dirt at the Richard Underwood Nature Refuge in Queensland.
While searching through 100 hours of footage, Australian Wildlife Conservancy senior field ecologist Andy Howe was delighted when he saw the rare creature, and the fact that it was a young one was especially thrilling.
"It's very gratifying to know that one of the world's most critically endangered animals is doing well and breeding within the safety of the fenced area," Howe said in a statement. "Although this isn't the first joey born at the refuge, it is the first juvenile spotted for a few years."
According to the AWC, only 400 of these wombats remain on the planet. The Smithsonian detailed that European colonizers decimated the marsupials' population, while introduced livestock outcompeted the wombats for their precious food sources.
Just before the dawn of the 21st century, only 35 of the wombats remained at a small Queensland reserve. But conservation efforts have boosted the population, making videos like these more likely.
In fact, a month later, another clip of a juvenile northern hairy-nosed wombat was recorded, and this time, they brought a friend.
The AWC (@australianwildlifeconservancy) shared a clip on Instagram of a spiky echidna trying to get a closer look at the wombat. The marsupial wasn't pleased, perhaps worried about getting a sharp shock, and started flinging dirt at the tiny creature before jumping and twitching in an effort to escape.
"It's a nervous wombat and a happy echidna," Tim Flannery from the Australian Museum, told New Scientist, saying he'd never seen an encounter quite like it.
A 384,000 Australian dollar ($265,000 USD) grant has been given to the AWC, which will be issued over the next 18 months to continue the Northern Hairy-Nosed Wombat Recovery Action Plan. This will include improving food sources, controlling the spread of detrimental weeds, and introducing a fire management strategy.
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The recovery of wombat numbers is not only great news for viral social media content, but it also demonstrates just what we can achieve when we are more mindful of rare species that inhabit Earth. From the smallest creatures to the largest, animals play a significant role in healthy ecosystems that benefit us all.
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