The wombat is the Australian marsupial famous for producing cube-shaped droppings.
Wombats create the unusual shape in the final part of their digestive system. Their intestines have areas with different elasticity, which compress the material into relatively flat-sided pieces. The droppings are then used to mark territory, especially around burrow entrances and feeding areas.
Three living wombat species occur in Australia: the common wombat, the southern hairy-nosed wombat, and the northern hairy-nosed wombat. They are stocky, short-legged herbivores that spend much of their time feeding on grasses, roots, and other tough vegetation. Wombats are mainly nocturnal, particularly in warmer regions.
A common mistake is assuming the cubes are formed by the anus itself. The shape is produced inside the intestine before the feces are expelled. Wombats also have backward-facing pouches, an adaptation that helps keep soil away from developing young while the mother digs.