A Mittagong vet has answered the question that visitors at one European zoo are eager to know about wombats - why they do not have belly buttons.
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Dr Keith McKellar Stewart from Mittagong Vet Hospital, was asked to inform visitors at Hanover Zoo in Germany, about how the marsupial gives birth in comparison to other mammals.
The country vet's expertise was published in the zoo's monthly magazine in the April issue.
Hanover Zoo currently has wombats Kelly and Maya, who is pregnant, in their breeding program.
Dr McKellar Stewart said it was a "great privilege" to be published and to connect "from a small country town to a major city zoo in Germany".
"It's a lot of fun but also an international connection I'm proud to be a part of," he said.
Hanover Zoo press officer Dr Simone Hagenmeyer said the connection created buzz among visitors.
"We had questions [about] how do we know Dr Keith... [how] we went to the trouble," she said.
"They are impressed we got a vet from Australia."
Wombats are just one of Australia's iconic animals that people can see and learn about at the German zoo - they can also find large kangaroos and wallabies.
It was not just the Mittagong vet's words that appeared in the magazine - there was also a photo of him with an adorable wombat from the Highlands.
Heather the wombat made sure to look straight at the camera for her international fans.
She is an orphan and was rescued by WIRES Wingecarribee (WW) after her mother was hit and killed by a motor vehicle.
"I think it's wonderful that Heather is helping to create international awareness and appreciation of our Australian animals," said WW branch secretary and coordinator for wombats and koalas Penny Walsh.
"We see wombats quite regularly," Dr McKellar Stewart said.
"They are hit by cars or bought in by members of the public."
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Briannah Devlin
I like to write about arts, entertainment, any local reality tv leads, and property for the Southern Highland News and Goulburn Post, but also report on everything in between. If you have any tips, please send them to Briannah.Devlin@austcommunitymedia.com.au, or call 0439142204.
I like to write about arts, entertainment, any local reality tv leads, and property for the Southern Highland News and Goulburn Post, but also report on everything in between. If you have any tips, please send them to Briannah.Devlin@austcommunitymedia.com.au, or call 0439142204.
