On my recent visit to Perth, Australia, I came across an animal that I had never heard of before. This big rodent-like creature with a pouch is apparently a “quokka.” The rare animal is the smallest type of wallaby. It always looks happy with a perpetual smile on its face. There are less than 15,000 of them and they are only found in Western Australia. Unlike the beloved, famous koala, I wonder why quokkas don’t receive the same attention.
I encountered the quokkas when I went to an island about 25 minutes by ferry from Perth. The animal once inhabited a large area of Western Australia, but today it only lives in three areas– two islands and one area on the mainland. One of the quokkas’ island havens is called Rottnest Island. This island once hosted an aboriginal prison but is now a tourist destination with beautiful beaches and quokkas. On Rottnest, the quokkas roam freely and even come up to people (especially if you have food.) They are friendly and adorable!
Unfortunately, the quokka population has been in decline due to loss of habitat from human development and non-native, predatory foxes that were introduced to Australia from Europe. The Australian government has listed them as a vulnerable species to extinction. I hope the quokka population thrives and can be admired in the future for a long time to come! Until then, I will be showing my many pictures of them.
Lani
I Love Nakame ❤ 