Quokka

Quokka facts at a glance

How big is a quokka?

An adult quokka measures 50 cm long — about 29% of the height of an average adult person (1.73 m) — and weighs around 4.0 kg, about 6% of an average adult’s body weight (70 kg).

What is a group of quokkas called?

Explore more animal collective nouns and baby animal names .

The 'world's happiest animal'

The quokka's rounded cheeks and upturned mouth give it a permanently cheerful expression, which has made it a social-media sensation. The look is just anatomy, not emotion, but it has helped turn the quokka into a beloved symbol of Western Australian wildlife.

A pouched herbivore

As a marsupial, the female quokka raises her tiny, underdeveloped young in a forward-opening pouch. Quokkas are herbivores that eat leaves, grasses, and shrubs, and they can survive long dry spells by drawing on fat stored in their tails.

Where quokkas live

Quokkas are found only in a small part of southwestern Australia. The largest and most visible population lives on Rottnest Island near Perth, where the absence of foxes and cats has let them thrive and become remarkably tame.

Conservation and people

On the mainland, quokkas have declined due to habitat loss and introduced predators, and they are listed as Vulnerable. Visitors are asked never to touch or feed them; human food makes them sick, and handling is harmful and, on Rottnest Island, illegal.

Did you know? Quokka facts

• The quokka is a small, cat-sized marsupial from southwestern Australia, famous for a facial shape that makes it look like it is smiling.
• A quokka's smile comes from the natural shape of its rounded face and mouth. It is not an expression of emotion, but it makes them look friendly and cheerful.
• Quokkas live only in southwestern Australia, with the best-known population on Rottnest Island near Perth, where they are abundant and unusually approachable.
• Quokkas are listed as Vulnerable. Island populations are stable, but mainland numbers have fallen due to habitat loss and predators like foxes and cats.
• No. Touching or feeding quokkas is harmful to them and is illegal on Rottnest Island. Human food makes them ill, so they should only ever be observed.
• Conservation: Vulnerable (IUCN).

Diet & feeding

Quokka feeds primarily as a herbivore. As a marsupial, the female quokka raises her tiny, underdeveloped young in a forward-opening pouch. Quokkas are herbivores that eat leaves, grasses, and shrubs, and they can survive long dry spells by drawing on fat stored in their tails.

Adaptations

• The quokka's rounded cheeks and upturned mouth give it a permanently cheerful expression, which has made it a social-media sensation. The look is just anatomy, not emotion, but it has helped turn the quokka into a beloved symbol of Western Australian wildlife.
• As a marsupial, the female quokka raises her tiny, underdeveloped young in a forward-opening pouch. Quokkas are herbivores that eat leaves, grasses, and shrubs, and they can survive long dry spells by drawing on fat stored in their tails.

Behaviour & ecology

• The quokka's rounded cheeks and upturned mouth give it a permanently cheerful expression, which has made it a social-media sensation. The look is just anatomy, not emotion, but it has helped turn the quokka into a beloved symbol of Western Australian wildlife.
• As a marsupial, the female quokka raises her tiny, underdeveloped young in a forward-opening pouch. Quokkas are herbivores that eat leaves, grasses, and shrubs, and they can survive long dry spells by drawing on fat stored in their tails.
• Quokkas are found only in a small part of southwestern Australia. The largest and most visible population lives on Rottnest Island near Perth, where the absence of foxes and cats has let them thrive and become remarkably tame.

Communication

• Quokka uses scent, posture, and vocal signals to mark territory and coordinate social behaviour.
• Communication intensity often peaks during breeding seasons and territorial disputes.

Habitat & range

Scrub, heath, and forest

Ecological role

Quokka shapes vegetation through grazing or browsing and serves as prey for larger predators where ranges overlap.

Conservation status of the Quokka

Sources & references

This guide is compiled and reviewed against established zoological and conservation references. Key sources for the Quokka:

• IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

  Conservation status (Vulnerable) reflects the IUCN Red List category for Setonix brachyurus.

• iNaturalist — observations & photos

  Search citizen-science observations and community IDs for Setonix brachyurus. Useful for range checks and recent sightings — not a substitute for formal Red List status.

• GBIF — occurrence data

  Global Biodiversity Information Facility species search for Setonix brachyurus. Explore published occurrence records used in range research.

• IUCN Red List — Setonix brachyurus.

  Conservation status (Vulnerable) and population trends.

• Animal Diversity Web — Setonix brachyurus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.

  Life history, morphology, and range.

• Wikipedia — Quokka.

  General taxonomy and overview (cross-check primary sources).

• Global Animal Guide editorial standards

  How we research, source, review, and update every guide for accuracy.