Winkleigh is less trusting than Cooper, so in her case, training based on positive motivation is a longer distance run. Photo by Oliver Le Que, Prague Zoo
The female common Winkleigh wombat at the Prague Zoo is training for abdominal examination these days. Leaning on a special gate reveals sensitive parts and builds mutual trust with the breeder. When she’s pregnant or has a baby in her pouch, this will make an important vet check-up easier.
“When Winkleigh came to Prague this April, she was quite shy compared to the male Cooper. With a patient approach, we managed to win her trust and cooperate. He is most at ease when he is eating. That’s why we lure her to the trestle with the favorite delicacy of wombats – sweet potatoes – and she shows her belly more and more willingly,” says breeder David Vala.
Sweet potatoes are among the most popular components of the wombats’ menu at the Prague Zoo. It is for this delicacy that the breeder David Vala lures female Winkleigh to veterinary training. Photo by Oliver Le Que, Prague Zoo
Four-year-old Winkleigh and three-year-old Cooper are the first couple of their kind in the Czech Republic. While Cooper traveled from the zoo in Hannover, Germany, Winkleigh was acquired by the Prague Zoo directly from Tasmania, where she was born at the Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary. During their spring acquaintance, there was no shortage of biting, grinding of teeth and loud yelping. Today they sleep side by side and mating attempts have also taken place. This is also why training on the horizontal bar is desirable.
“If Winkleigh were to become pregnant, it’s possible we won’t know about the tiny baby until after the birth, when it’s in the pouch. As with all marsupials, the pregnancy of wombats is very short, lasting approximately 20 to 30 days. In contrast to the female nutcracker, when the trapeze made it easier for us to examine with ultrasound, in the case of Winkleigh, we therefore train more to feel the belly,” says curator of mammals Pavel Brandl.
Winkleigh is getting a little better at training for the exam every day, although she is still reluctant to step onto the platform under the step with her hind legs. But the important thing is that the breeders already reach her belly. Photo by Oliver Le Que, Prague Zoo
Visitors to the Prague Zoo will find common wombats in the Darwin’s Crater exhibit of Australian and Tasmanian fauna in the lower part of the premises. They are most active around 2 p.m., when they receive their afternoon feeding.