Most people have never heard of a quokka. Let’s call it a second cousin twice removed of the kangaroo, and one of those very strange marsupials for which Australia is famous. But it’s undoubtedly the cutest of those strange Australian marsupials.
One of the reasons for the quokka’s anatomical anonymity is that Rottnest Island, eleven miles offshore from Perth, is the only place in the world where these housecat-sized critters can be found in the wild. And that’s why we’re here. To get photos of ourselves with smiling quokkas.
Mission accomplished. A selfie stick probably would have helped us get even better photos, but we’re pretty happy with these photos of ourselves with remarkably friendly, smiling animals.
Please send/bring me a quokka!!
I was in Australia about 100 years ago. It was there in Sydney that I met my first koala bear. The gracious zookeeper invited me to nurse the little bucket of love. (Yes, NURSE!) I, having weaned my firstborn in order to make the trip to Australia, blushed, coughed, cackled, and politely declined. It was a few days later when I learned that to ‘nurse’ a thing is merely to hold it. No breasts involved whatsoever. Only one of many blunders this blonde made while making my way down-under. (Let’s just leave it at this, as I’m sure you already know: Never tell an Ozzie that you root for the Cowboys.)
That is hilarious. Just yesterday, as we were leaving Rottnest Island, Jamie told a worker who was attempting to move three bicycles at once, “I’m rooting for you.” She wouldn’t believe me when I told her what it meant, so I’m happy that you confirmed it less than 24 hours later.
Quokkas are so cute! They give a prairie dog a run for its money as most huggable animal!
I heard that quokkas can’t reach the leaves that they eat. If this indeed the case they must have evolved incredible cuteness to get taller species to give them what they want.