This big-eared, hairy newborn marks historic birth at Zoo Miami

Big ears, stubby legs and an extra-strong butt — Zoo Miami celebrated the newest addition to its animal family Friday. However, this tiny girl — a southern hairy-nosed wombat — is a historic landmark for the zoo and a rare sight for the nation.

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The tiny baby, known as a joey, is thought to have been born on Jan. 19, Zoo Communications Director Ron Magill said. Hairy-nosed wombat births are hard to spot, as after about a 30-day pregnancy, the joey crawls into its mother’s pouch. There, it develops for up to six months.

The joey’s arrival was the first successful birth of a southern hairy-nosed wombat in Zoo Miami’s history. It is also the only successful birth of the species across the U.S. this year, Magill said.

Born to first-time parents Gordon, the 8.5-year-old father from the Los Angeles Zoo, and Adelaid, the 9.5-year-old mother from the Brookfield Zoo, the unnamed joey has only recently begun to emerge from its mother’s pouch.

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The southern hairy-nosed wombat is the smallest of three species of wombats, all found in Australia, typically weighing between 45 and 65 pounds. The species is distinguished by relatively large ears and broad snouts covered with fine hairs.

One of the wombat’s most unusual defense adaptations is its “heavily reinforced rear end” containing strong cartilage. It uses its “powerful” butt to block the entrance to its burrow, and help defend against predators.

That’s not the species’ only quirk. Wombats are also the only mammals to produce cube-shaped poop.

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Take a look at Zoo Miami’s newest friend: