Wombats patrol and mark territories as large as 23 hectares (57 acres) every single night.

Wombats are solitary, nocturnal herbivores native to Australia. Research published in the 'Journal of Mammalogy' indicates that a single common wombat (Vombatus ursinus) can maintain a home range of up to 23 hectares. They are highly territorial and use scent marking as their primary method of communication and boundary enforcement.The most distinctive feature of wombat territory marking is their cubic scat. A study led by Dr. Patricia Yang at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2018 revealed that the wombat's intestines have varying levels of stiffness and elasticity. The last section of the intestine stretches preferentially at the corners to create the flat sides of the cube as the waste dries.Wombats produce between 80 and 100 of these cubes every night. By placing them on elevated surfaces like fallen logs or mounds of dirt, the scent carries further in the wind. This serves as a 'keep out' sign for other wombats, reducing the need for physical confrontation.Despite their slow appearance, wombats are remarkably efficient at patrolling these large areas. They can run at speeds of up to 40 kilometers per hour (25 miles per hour) when threatened or defending their borders. Their burrow systems, which can be 20 meters long, serve as the central hubs for these expansive nocturnal territories.