QUOKKA

Setonix brachyurus

a young quokka exploring its environment

Quokkas are considered to be one of the cutest animals on the planet because they often appear as though they are smiling. They are in the kangaroo family, Macropodidae, or simply ‘Macropod’ meaning ‘big foot’. These hopping marsupials are herbivorous and are mostly nocturnal.

Quokkas are endemic to Western Australia, inhabiting Rottnest and Bald Islands, as well as on the mainland in parts of the South West region. The mainland populations have greatly contracted since the arrival of Europeans.

Quokka mother with joey in pouch, part of our successful breeding program in the Adelaide Hills.

One of our Quokkas with a joey in the pouch.

FUN FACTS

  • Rottnest Island literally translates to ‘Rat’s Nest Island’ as the early Dutch explorers thought that the Quokkas there were some kind of giant rat.

  • The quokka is the only member of the Genus ‘Setonix’.

  • Quokkas can, on occasion, climb trees to browse on leaves.

  • Quokkas can go for weeks without food, surviving on fat stores in their tails.

  • Quokkas have one joey (baby) at a time but can occasionally have two.

  • Quokkas were called ‘Short-tailed Scrub Wallabies’ by early naturists but we now prefer the first nation’s name of ‘Quokka’.

Quokka tail detail highlighting its thick, muscular structure used for balance and movement.
Close-up of a smiling quokka at our Adelaide Hills wildlife park during a private encounter

Quokkas have short, broad tails.

Here in South Australia you can have your very own quokka encounter with our friendly hand-raised quokkas. You can book a private wildlife encounter with our Quokkas at Animals Anonymous headquarters or have our mobile team come to you.