Creature Wednesday/Quokka

Oh what a morning much cooler then yesterday more like autumn then summer. Well it is Wednesday so it is creature day, and this weeks creature is the Quokka. Have you heard of a Quokka?

They are believed to be the happiest animal in the world.

Quokka's are small mammal around 40-54cms in length or about the size of a cat. They have short brown/grey fur, small round ears and a black nose, they kinda look like a small wallaby. They are most active at night and are herbivores.

Their babies spend about a month in the womb and then they move into the mum's pouch. The baby is called a joey and spends six months in it's mum's pouch, after leaving the pouch it still feeds off the mother's milk for a further 2 months. At 1.5yrsof age they are old enough to have their own babies.

They can live for up to 10 years in the wild

If the mum is threatened by a predator she will often throw her baby to the ground to distract the predator and save her own life.

They are not afraid of humans but get too close and they may bite you. Their bite isn't dangerous just painful. It is illegal for them to be kept as pets.

They can be found on the west coast of Australia on Rottnest Island. Aside from Rottnest Island, small groups of Quokkas also inhabit the mainland in Western Australia, as well as Bald Island, a small island to the southwest. Groups of Quokkas live in territories, which are defended by dominant males. They often live in tall grass near water sources.

Quokkas can also climb trees and swim.