Meet the Quokka — the Happiest Animal Ever
Meet the most smiley animal on earth: the quokka. A native of Australia, the quokka is a marsupial in the macropod family (along with wallabies and kangaroos) with a permanently positive outlook. Its most distinct characteristic is the appearance that it is always smiling. If you're feeling blue or just having a bad day, look no further. Click through to get an instant mood-booster and learn a few fun facts about quokkas while you're at it!
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Quokkas are about the size of a domestic cat and extremely friendly, making them our new fantasy pets.
Quokkas are classified as "vulnerable," according to the International Union For Conservation of Nature. Humans, take note: we can always do something to help keep the world a smilier place.
Quokkas live among tall grasses and shrubs, organized in family groups led by a male, and become active at night, gathering in large social groups.
Quokkas are predominantly found on Rottnest Island, off the coast of Western Australia, and while they used to run rampant all over Southwestern Australia, their numbers on the mainland have dwindled.
A quokka's diet consists of grasses, the leaves of small trees and shrubs, and succulent plants for moisture when water is scarce.
Like most macropods, quokkas have pouches and are herbivores, but unlike other marsupials in their family, they can climb trees and shrubs.
One downside to their smiley, friendly nature, however, is that it will sometimes lead them too close to their predators, which includes dingoes, foxes, dogs, cats, and large birds.
Quokkas even look like they're smiling when they're fast asleep!