Happy Quokka Monday!
May 15, 2017 5:39 PM Subscribe
'World's happiest animal', the quokka, becomes the most popular tourist attraction at Australia's Rottnest Island
PHOTOS
#happyquokkamonday on Instagram
#quokkaselfie on Instagram
#quokka on Twitter
VIDEOS
The Cutest Animal in the World
Rottnest Island's QUOKKAS get a visit from Bondi Vet Dr Chris Brown
THE HAPPIEST ANIMAL ON THE PLANET - Quokkas of Rottnest Island
Quokka with baby
DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY!
Quokkas thriving on Rottnest Island despite increased tourism, study finds
PHOTOS
VIDEOS
DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY!
Quokkas thriving on Rottnest Island despite increased tourism, study finds
How about that. A few weeks ago I was trying to think of a Q mammal, knew there was one, but couldn't remember. Evidently I had been having these thoughts in my head instead of out loud, because when I told my wife in the middle of the night that the Q animal was a quokka, which had just come to me, she had no idea what I was talking about.
Adorable little bastards, but I thought I read they were meant to be mean. They don't look particularly fierce here.
posted by uncleozzy at 5:53 PM on May 15, 2017
Adorable little bastards, but I thought I read they were meant to be mean. They don't look particularly fierce here.
posted by uncleozzy at 5:53 PM on May 15, 2017
But why are they so friendly?
posted by Mizu at 5:57 PM on May 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Mizu at 5:57 PM on May 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'm not happy. That's just my resting Quokka face.
posted by cichlid ceilidh at 5:59 PM on May 15, 2017 [20 favorites]
posted by cichlid ceilidh at 5:59 PM on May 15, 2017 [20 favorites]
But why are they so friendly?
I know why! Because everyone who goes there feeds them because they're irresistibly cute even though the sign right there says not to, come on people!
posted by 0xFCAF at 6:17 PM on May 15, 2017 [6 favorites]
I know why! Because everyone who goes there feeds them because they're irresistibly cute even though the sign right there says not to, come on people!
posted by 0xFCAF at 6:17 PM on May 15, 2017 [6 favorites]
Quokka vs capybara.
Which cute will win?
My vote is on the capy.
posted by BlueHorse at 6:18 PM on May 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
Which cute will win?
My vote is on the capy.
posted by BlueHorse at 6:18 PM on May 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
Quokka vs capybara.
Which cute will win?
My vote is on the capy.
I have to disagree; capy has more meat, though.
posted by TedW at 6:23 PM on May 15, 2017
Which cute will win?
My vote is on the capy.
I have to disagree; capy has more meat, though.
posted by TedW at 6:23 PM on May 15, 2017
Capy has an impressive weight advantage, and a willingness to tolerate anything sitting on top, but quokka has that built-in happy face expression that is the opposite of a bulldog or 'grumpy cat' look. I can't think of any animal that LOOKS as happy, even my personal favorite happy-maker, the otter.
posted by oneswellfoop at 6:30 PM on May 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by oneswellfoop at 6:30 PM on May 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
A few years ago I made Waka Flocka hanging with a flock quokkas.
It still cheers me up in these dark times.
posted by furnace.heart at 6:32 PM on May 15, 2017 [2 favorites]
It still cheers me up in these dark times.
posted by furnace.heart at 6:32 PM on May 15, 2017 [2 favorites]
Quokkas seem to make friends with humans easily, but capybaras make friends with all kinds of animals and can even encourage cross-species harmony. And, as my mom says, animals are better than people, so capybara wins. A quokka riding a capybara though, they might conquer the world.
posted by Mizu at 6:37 PM on May 15, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by Mizu at 6:37 PM on May 15, 2017 [5 favorites]
Quokka/Capybara 2020
The campaign starts right now.
posted by soren_lorensen at 7:21 PM on May 15, 2017 [6 favorites]
The campaign starts right now.
posted by soren_lorensen at 7:21 PM on May 15, 2017 [6 favorites]
Hey I got to see these in person on Rottnest back in March! They are very cute! And not afraid of people at all. Some of them are a bit scruffier looking close up...like I can see why the Dutch sailors back in the day were like "aaah giant rats"...but still it was tempting to try and scoop one up for a cuddle or maybe pop one in a backpack...[no one's looking now]
posted by daisystomper at 8:00 PM on May 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by daisystomper at 8:00 PM on May 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
Hmm, quokka good name for quark's brother. quidnunc implement this nomenclature henceforth.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 11:23 PM on May 15, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by the quidnunc kid at 11:23 PM on May 15, 2017 [2 favorites]
I can see why the Dutch sailors back in the day were like "aaah giant rats"
Hence the name of the island ('Rat Nest').
I read they were meant to be mean.
Quokkas set their own terms. They act friendly to solicit food, but if you try to pet one they may well swat your hand away.
posted by fairmettle at 11:24 PM on May 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
Hence the name of the island ('Rat Nest').
I read they were meant to be mean.
Quokkas set their own terms. They act friendly to solicit food, but if you try to pet one they may well swat your hand away.
posted by fairmettle at 11:24 PM on May 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
Quokkas are awesome and the ones I saw loved a little pat. (You don't want to pat the ones with mange, though!) I'm from Perth so have been/stayed at Rotto umpteen times. The only bad thing about quokkas is that they keep invading your cabin if you leave the door open and every now and again you have to shoo them out. But they are super cute, never grumpy and take fabulous selfies. It wouldn't surprise me at all to find that the odd tourist has tried to smuggle one off the island.
posted by Jubey at 11:49 PM on May 15, 2017
posted by Jubey at 11:49 PM on May 15, 2017
I'm always so stoked when I see a post about this remote part of the world, in which I happen to live.
Yes, they are super cute and super friendly, often to their detriment as there are some total shitlords out there who treat them terribly.
The greatest vitriol I've seen hurled in Perth is towards anyone who harms our gentle quokkas, and is backed up by sentencing norms for quokka abuse here. WA courts say this aggression will not stand.
posted by honey-barbara at 12:21 AM on May 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
Yes, they are super cute and super friendly, often to their detriment as there are some total shitlords out there who treat them terribly.
The greatest vitriol I've seen hurled in Perth is towards anyone who harms our gentle quokkas, and is backed up by sentencing norms for quokka abuse here. WA courts say this aggression will not stand.
posted by honey-barbara at 12:21 AM on May 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
honey-barbara, distressed to see you have your own republicans down there. What kind of person is cruel to an animal for "amusement"? What kind of person laughs at that? Shitlords is right.
posted by maxwelton at 2:47 AM on May 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by maxwelton at 2:47 AM on May 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
I think the jury's still out on which Australian island is the Rottnest...
posted by Captain l'escalier at 3:51 AM on May 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Captain l'escalier at 3:51 AM on May 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
distressed to see you have your own republicans down there.
In compiling this I saw the links to articles and videos about this. I didn't click on any of them assumed they were American tourists.
posted by Room 641-A at 4:35 AM on May 16, 2017
In compiling this I saw the links to articles and videos about this. I didn't click on any of them assumed they were American tourists.
posted by Room 641-A at 4:35 AM on May 16, 2017
Well, the cited shitlords were a Kiwi, an Aussie, and some French persons.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:45 AM on May 16, 2017
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:45 AM on May 16, 2017
Yes, there is nothing like a foreign quokka-basher for getting us awfully riled up, but it's something of a local phenomenon too for lads to joke about 'quokka soccer' on their end of school mayhem week on Rottnest.
My favourite quokka related thing is how the shops need these cute barriers to keep them out of the aisles
posted by honey-barbara at 5:04 AM on May 16, 2017 [3 favorites]
My favourite quokka related thing is how the shops need these cute barriers to keep them out of the aisles
posted by honey-barbara at 5:04 AM on May 16, 2017 [3 favorites]
Been to Rottnest island, met the quokkas, managed to not tread in any quokka shit. Because of course they crap everywhere. (Sort of like rabbit droppings. Do not be tempted by the chocolate raisins under the tables outside the tourist cafes.)
posted by cstross at 7:37 AM on May 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by cstross at 7:37 AM on May 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
But what about the wombats, man????
posted by holborne at 10:20 AM on May 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by holborne at 10:20 AM on May 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
It's physically impossible to look at these guys without breaking into a grin.
posted by eeek at 3:39 PM on May 16, 2017
posted by eeek at 3:39 PM on May 16, 2017
Coincidentally, the animal most geographically distant from Donald Trump.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 6:21 PM on May 17, 2017
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 6:21 PM on May 17, 2017
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