It’s to celebrate one of Australia’s most iconic native animals and highlight the importance of conservation, education, and care for wombats across the country, as wombat numbers in the wild drop.

“There’s a lot of reasons for that, but especially in Canberra vehicle collisions and disease is really impacting their populations here,” keeper Courtney Hawkins from the National Zoo and Aquarium said.

“Especially mange, which is a parasite that is wiping out a lot of our beautiful wombats.”

She says they’re hoping to raise awareness, particularly for local organisations ACT Wildlife and Wombat Rescue who are out there helping the animals.

Check out Poppy the Wombat getting into some fun enrichment as part of celebrations at the National Zoo and Aquarium!