Quokka: a cute smile and its features (11 photos + 1 video)

This Australian animal claims to be one of the most smiling and cheerful. Although after the first acquaintance with people, the fluffy gentlemen had every chance of not surviving.





This is understandable: the settlers thought the quokkas were rats. But this is only at first glance. Because quokka (Setonix brachyurus) is a representative of kangaroos. The largest population lives on Rottnest Island.



The animals received their name from the local aborigines - representatives of the Noongar tribe. The quokka is comparable in size to a small dog or large cat. The body length reaches half a meter, and the tail is another 30 centimeters. The tail, unlike a kangaroo's, is weak and primarily functions as a balancer rather than a support. The animals weigh on average 3-5 kilograms.





Quokkas are nocturnal. And they go out to get food (they are herbivores) when darkness comes. Circumstances force us to live this way: larger animals love small fluffy creatures as lunch.

Feeding does not look very aesthetically pleasing for the simple reason that it occurs in two stages. The quokka regurgitates the grass it has consumed and then consumes it again. But this method of feeding allows you to absorb the maximum of nutrients from food and relieves the animals from the need to often drink water, which still needs to be found.

Quokkas are great at climbing trees. Which is logical, since due to weakness and lack of protection in the form of fangs or poison, the only available method of salvation at the sight of danger is flight.



If the animals are friendly towards people, they prefer to ignore each other and not communicate unnecessarily. Usually the need is expressed in the desire to continue the race, which is demonstrated by the female. The lady acts selectively, walks around the territory and chooses the most suitable gentleman.

The dad protects the chosen one until the moment when the baby gets out of the bag. After which the roads diverge, and everyone lives a free life. Quokkas have an interesting feature - they form a duplicate embryo. If something happens to the cub, it begins unplanned early development. If an older brother or sister leaves the pouch upon reaching age, then the spare embryo develops as usual.



Despite their cute appearance, quokkas can be fierce and aggressive if provoked. They warn about the reluctance of close interaction by shouting, and then they grab onto the body of the aggressor and hang like a fluffy trap, simultaneously scratching and kicking the dull offender.

As for the signature smile, there is a completely physiological reason for cheerfulness. Due to constant chewing, quokkas pump up their jaw muscles well. And when they stop chewing, they relax. And the face of the character, who claims to be the most cheerful mammal, is illuminated by a radiant smile.