14 DAY TRIAL // This might come as a bit of a shock, but the two odd-looking creatures pictured above are not a weird cross between a pig and a rodent. On the contrary, they are a mother hairy-nosed wombat and its joey.
According to Zoo Borns, the adorable young creature featured in the picture above was born at Taronga Zoo in Australia about 8 month ago.
It has just recently gathered enough courage to explore the world outside its mother's pouch, and there is little denying that both visitors to the zoo and caretakers are unable to get enough of it.
The same source tells us that the young southern hairy-nosed wombat is a female, and that keepers have decided to name it Sydney. By the looks of it, the joey is the second of its kind born at this facility in three years.
Wildlife researchers and vets explain that, unlike other species, southern hairy-nosed wombats are fairly difficult to breed in captivity. This is because females are only receptive to males for a 12-hour window.
The staff at Taronga Zoo expects that the progress it has made in terms of breeding this species in captivity will help conservationists save its cousin, i.e. the critically endangered northern hairy-nosed wombat, from going extinct in the near future.