Quokka Named 'World’s Happiest Animal' — Here Are Photos Which Prove It

Jul 01, 2020 by apost team

There are quite a lot of animals out there that seem just too cute to be real, but quokkas could give them all a run for their money. These little marsupials, who have also been dubbed the happiest animals on earth are native to Australia. They could well be Disney movie characters with their cartoonish, lovable faces.

This video from 2018 showcases the adorable creature in all its glory and certainly provides evidence of its incredible cuteness.

Unlike many other creatures that hail from Australia, the quokka is a pretty harmless animal and is reportedly quite friendly too.

Unfortunately, that friendliness might just be a curse, as their numbers have been dangerously reduced thanks to dingoes and foxes that also reside in Australia. The Red List currently has the animal listed as a “vulnerable” species.

apost.com

In 2012, one tourist traveled to Rottnest Island, just off the coast of Perth, and encountered a quokka. Amused by its happy grin, the man proceeded to take a selfie with it and posted it online. 

According to National Geographic, the photo quickly went viral and started a trend of tourists taking quirky selfies with the friendly creatures. Since then the quokka has widely been touted the "happiest animal in the world," as reported in the same article.

Rottnest Island, which is actually Dutch for “Rat’s Nest Island,” first saw human visitors in 1658. The first explorers to arrive at the island, who were Dutch, mistook the quokkas for rats—hence the island’s name. Now, the critters very well act like rats.

"They’re meant to be nocturnal, but they've altered their activity patterns so that they’re awake during the day to be around tourists and scavenge food from tourists,” wildlife biologist Veronica Phillips told National Geographic.

The surge in tourism to the island has actually had a positive effect on the quokka population. When conducting a study for the Italian journal Hystrix, Phillips found that quokkas in areas that experienced tourism and lots of visitors had a significantly better quality of life than those in secluded areas, as reported by National Geographic.

Have you ever taken a selfie with a Quokka before? Let us know in the comments—and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!