Diprotodon optatum


Learn more about Diprotodon optatum

  • The world’s largest marsupial weighing up to 2.5 tonnes.
  • Lived 1 million — 40,000 years ago.
  • Related to wombats and koalas.
  • Walked on four feet.
  • Had a pouch, probably backward facing.
  • Two huge tusks in lower jaw.
  • Plant eater.
  • Found across Australia.
large marsupial next to a man silhouette
Reconstruction of the giant wombat-like marsupial, Diprotodon optatum. Image: Queensland Museum, Vlad Konstantinov, Andrey Atuchin & Scott Hocknull.

Diprotodon optatum | Project DIG

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