The people have spoken, and the Toronto Zoo’s adorable new baby southern hairy-nosed wombat has a name: Clover.
Apparently, more than 16,000 votes were cast for the little cutie, and the female has officially been named Clover, which is a nod to her mother Matilba, who loves munching on clover in her outdoor habitat at the Australasia pavilion.
Clover is the first wombat reared at the Toronto Zoo in more than 30 years and only the second wombat successfully raised at the zoo. Her arrival is the result of years of planning and careful work by Toronto Zoo staff.
Visitors who head to the Australasia Pavilion may be able to catch a glimpse of her exploring her habitat. The Zoo explained that she is still very much on her own schedule, however, and may disappear back into the pouch for a feed.
Wombats have an unusual start to life. Pregnancy lasts only about three weeks, after which the tiny, hairless and blind joey (baby wombat) continues developing inside its mother’s pouch. At birth, Clover would have weighed roughly half a gram, about the size of a jellybean. She remained attached to a teat for around four months before gradually becoming more independent.
Clover’s arrival is particularly significant for the Toronto Zoo because her predecessor Nan, a female wombat born at the zoo in 1994, lived until 2018 and was Clover’s great-grandmother.
For Toronto Zoo CEO Dolf DeJong, Clover represents a connection between Toronto and Australia.
“We’re thrilled the community came together to help name Clover,” DeJong said. “As an important ambassador for this marsupial species, Clover will inspire guests to learn more and become Guardians of Wild.”