Wombats are marsupials found only in Australia. They dig burrows underground, where they often spend the daylight hours.
Scientists are curious about what goes on inside these burrows. And now, with the help of a cool new device called the WomBot, they can get some answers!
The WomBot is a robot designed to enter and navigate wombat burrows and return data, including video and soil samples. WomBot also has sensors to measure temperature (how hot or cold it is) and humidity (the amount of water vapor in the air).
Scientists hope this new data will help them learn about wombats’ behavior. They also want to use the WomBot to learn how best to fight a disease called sarcoptic mange, that is affecting some wombat populations.
Check out WomBot in action:
Are you an inventor?
Can you think of a wildlife question that could be answered with the help of a robot like the WomBot? Hmm, how about: how many eggs does a female crow lay? Or, how many different types of animal visit a particular tree hollow each week? Start imagining a robot that you can use to answer your question(s) and draw a picture of your design(s). Have fun, inventors!
