By. Thilini
It is quite ordinary to come across smiling animals from time to time, but let me tell you, a picture of a quokka is guaranteed to make you smile.
They come from the same family as wallabies and kangaroos.
They are tiny animals covered in fur and are similar to kangaroos. They also have pouches on their tummies to carry their youngsters.
Though they belong to the same family as kangaroos, the quokkas are the size of a domestic cat.
They have narrow faces, round ears, big noses, and tiny paws, which make them the cutest things on planet earth.
They are also known as the most cheerful animals around, thanks to their happy faces.
From a tiny smile to a grin showing their teeth, they are an absolute wonder to look at.
Tourists are often fond of them and because of this, they are familiar with people and have little fear.
They will just hop up to a passer- by looking at them and even pose for a selfie with them!
However, they can be a little mean sometimes too. If they feel threatened, they will not hesitate to bite you.
They have powerful hindlegs which they use for hopping and kicking.
While they love photographs, they don’t like being handled. So picking them up and petting them may lead to injury and fines by the Australian government.
Quokkas usually eat bark, shrub, plants, grass, stems and leaves.
According to one study, their favorite food is Pink Paper Bells- a white purple flower native to western Australia.
When they put something in their mouth, they swallow it whole and later regurgitate the food and eat it, which allows them to absorb the extra nutrition in the food.
They live in shrubs, trees, swamps and other areas with thick vegetation.
They don’t like open spaces; they prefer closed spaces where they can hide from potential predators. They are vulnerable to cats, dogs, foxes, dingoes, and snakes. So, when confronted by a predator, they instinctively run away. They hop at high speeds, dive into burrows or find branches to hide under. If cornered, they bite, scratch with their claws and use their hind legs to kick.
With its 19 years life span, they give birth to 16-17 babies.
Known for their reproduction rates, they mature quickly and can reproduce twice a year.
Also, they can do something called Embryonic Diapause – which means delayed impregnation. So, a female can mate with a male and delay her egg development until the conditions become more favorable to raise a baby.
