First Czech Wombat Is Female. Ondřej Sokol Christened Her at Prague Zoo

The sex and name of the first Czech wombat joey were jointly revealed by Prague Zoo’s director, Miroslav Bobek, and the patron of Prague wombats, actor Ondřej Sokol. Photo Oliver Le Que, Prague Zoo

Miroslav Bobek, Prague Zoo’s director, said, “Mersey is the first wombat bred in the Czech Republic. Naturally, she is a great attraction for visitors, making her an excellent ambassador for her species, which we are currently helping to protect in Australia.”

Hundreds of visitors came to Darwin Crater for the event. A number of them also took part in the accompanying programme, and the children really enjoyed digging wombat burrows and competing in a bottom-pushing contest, similar to how wombats defend themselves against predators. Little Mersey’s godfather went on to explain the specifics of wombat life, referring to the uniqueness of wombat droppings. One theory postulates that their shape helps them to better mark their territory in hilly terrain.

The female wombat was named Mersey after the river in Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain area, where the greatest number of common wombat sightings have been recorded. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Actor Ondřej Sokol, the joey’s godfather and a long-time supporter of Prague’s wombats said, “Keeper David Vala is so nice and always shows me the cubes. I still can’t believe that wombat droppings are shaped like that. What’s more, today, I thought Cooper had tried for a pyramid. It’s great that he’s so creative.” He went on to add a personal wish, saying, “I’m so used to Prague Zoo and I like it so much here that I’d like to have my own enclosure.”

As mentioned before, the joey’s parents are the first pair of common wombats in the Czech Republic. The five-year-old female, Winkleigh, was born at the Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary in Tasmania, and the nearly four-year-old male, Cooper, came from Hannover Zoo. Wombats live solitary lives in the wild and mainly meet up during the courtship and breeding season. When the Prague pair met last year, it was quite wild, with Winkleigh inflicting a number of bites and scratches on her partner. In the end, the two marsupials found some common ground.

Prague Zoo breeds the Tasmanian subspecies of the common wombat. Due to the island’s climate, some of its traits include thicker fur and a greater resilience to cold.

Together with keeper David Vala, actor Ondřej Sokol had a close look at little Mersey in Winkleigh’s pouch. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo