This little guy is called quokka. They only live on a small part of Australia, and they’re unbelievably cute! Just found out about them today

  • Björn@swg-empire.deEnglish
    23·
    9 months ago

    They look like puppets and not real living wild animals.

  • 9point6@lemmy.worldEnglish
    19·
    9 months ago

    I found out about them about a year ago thanks to Lemmy, funnily

    I was wondering why one of the Aussie instances was called quokk.au

    • Quokka@quokk.auEnglish
      14·
      9 months ago

      Glad I promoted a curiosity.

  • Really_long_toes@lemmy.worldEnglish
    12·
    9 months ago

    They’re famous for selfies. They look like they’re always smiling. People call them the happiest animals on Earth.

    But when danger comes for their babies… They don’t fight. They don’t protect.

    They throw their babies at predators and run.

    That’s right — mother quokkas have been observed tossing their joeys out of their pouches to distract predators while they escape.

    It’s brutal. It’s cold. But it’s survival.

    Scientists call it “infant abandonment as a defense mechanism” — and in quokkas, it’s instinctive. The moment they sense they’re beieing ruthless does. jettison the baby and run for cover.

    No last look. No hesitation.

    Because in the wild, being cute doesn’t keep you alive. Being ruthless does.

    • LwL@lemmy.worldEnglish
      7·
      9 months ago

      I was wondering which part about them makes them dangerous or fucked up, given they’re from australia. Thanks for providing the answer lol

  • katy ✨@piefed.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    111·
    9 months ago

    robert irwin holding quokkas is literally my favourite thing in the world tbh

  • TomMasz@lemmy.worldEnglish
    9·
    9 months ago

    This guy looks like Fozzie Bear waiting for the audience to react to one of his jokes.

  • Funky_Beak@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
    8·
    9 months ago

    Getting high on the beach with these guys scurrying about is always a fun summer night.

  • MaggiWuerze@feddit.orgEnglish
    7·
    9 months ago

    I feel like the picture needs it holding a knife to be believably Australian

  • dustycups@aussie.zoneEnglish
    5·
    9 months ago

    The island is called rottnest because the Dutch explorers thought they were rats.