# Quokka (*Setonix brachyurus*)

> The quokka is a small, cat-sized marsupial from southwestern Australia, famous for a facial shape that makes it look like it is smiling. Quokkas are nocturnal herbivores that carry their young in a pouch, are found mainly on Rottnest Island, and typically live around 10 years.

- **Category:** Mammal
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Vulnerable
- **Range:** Southwestern Australia, especially Rottnest Island near Perth, in scrub, heath, and forest.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/quokka/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Diprotodontia
- **Family:** Macropodidae
- **Genus:** Setonix

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Setonix brachyurus |
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Habitat | Scrub, heath, and forest |
| Lifespan | About 10 years |
| Weight | 2.5–5 kg (5.5–11 lb) |
| Top speed | Around 30 km/h (19 mph) |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable (IUCN) |

## 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.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why do quokkas look like they are 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.

### Where do quokkas live?

Quokkas live only in southwestern Australia, with the best-known population on Rottnest Island near Perth, where they are abundant and unusually approachable.

### Are quokkas endangered?

Quokkas are listed as Vulnerable. Island populations are stable, but mainland numbers have fallen due to habitat loss and predators like foxes and cats.

### Can you touch or feed a quokka?

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.

### What do quokkas eat?

Quokkas are herbivores that eat leaves, grasses, stems, and shrubs, and can store fat in their tails to survive dry periods.

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Setonix brachyurus.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Setonix%20brachyurus&searchType=species)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Setonix brachyurus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Setonix_brachyurus/)
- [Wikipedia — Quokka.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quokka)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/quokka/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.