Description
DIGGER GETS THE ITCH was written as an educational story to teach families about wombats suffering from mange, and what they can do to help if they see a wombat in need. Mange affects a large percentage of the wombat population in Australia. It is fatal if left untreated but with the right care, wombats do not need to be suffering. Profits raised by the sales of this book go to Kanimbla Wombats to fund mange treatment programs for Bare Nosed Wombats.
Wombat Mange is caused by the sarcoptes scabiei mite. The mite burrows into the skin causing thick crusty skin and hair loss, these crusts often grow over the wombats eyes and ears rendering them blind and deaf. It is incredibly itchy and wombats can injure themselves trying to scratch because of their sharp claws. Mange if left untreated is fatal to a wombat. You will often see wombats with mange out grazing during the day which is not a behaviour that a healthy wombat will adopt. It is thought this is because they loose the ability to thermoregulate because of the loss of fur and also their need for more food as their metabolism is affected.
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