RonJonSurfer Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Giant wombat bone found in Australia SYDNEY (AFP) - Scientists in Australia announced Friday they had found the jawbone of a giant wombat the size of a large car that lived 20,000-40,000 years ago. The jawbone of the ancient marsupial, part of the "mega-fauna" that once roamed pre-historic Australia, was found by a tour guide at the Jenolan Caves in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. The animal, named the diprotodon, was two metres (6.5 feet) tall and three metres (10 feet) long, weighing about three tonnes. By comparison, modern wombats are about one metre (three feet) long, 25 centimetres (10 inches) high and weigh 20-45 kilogrammes (44-100 pounds). University of New South Wales palaeontologist Michael Archer said the discovery, the first so close to Sydney, could herald a major scientific site at the Jenolan Caves. "If there's one jaw, there has to be more material and it could theoretically be on the edge of the beginning of a very large deposit and this is the first bit poking out of the wall and that there are some really fascinating mega-fauna fossils in this cave," he said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenacious_Peaches Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 A 10 foot long one of these evil vermin? Sweet baby in the manger, the thought of it is enough to give me heebie jeebies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonJonSurfer Posted July 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 That's one heck of a wombat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLizard Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 I first read the title as "Giant Wombat Jew"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonJonSurfer Posted July 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Even rarer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miamisammy29 Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Where does a three-ton giant wombat sleep? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenacious_Peaches Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Wherever the &*^% he wants to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miamisammy29 Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcM Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 I first read the title as "Giant Wombat Jew"... So I am not the only one.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawna Posted July 28, 2007 Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 I saw a show on Animal Planet where a couple was taking care of two baby wombats and then rehabilitating them for the wild. They were really cute little creatures with really individual characters. One of them was really shy and kept hiding behind its keeper's legs. I want one for a pet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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