quokka

[prettygoodword]

quokka (KWOK-uh) - n., a cat-sized herbivorous marsupial (Setonix brachyurus) of southwestern Australia.



Thanks, WikiMedia!

Not very common, inhabiting mainly islands and swampy areas. It's not obvious with that short tail, but it's actually a type of wallaby (and thus a very small kangaroo). Judging by the number of pictures with big noses as one investigates a camera, they are curious and comfortable with humans. Name is again from a Noongar/Nyungar language of the region, which is transliterated as gwaga.

---L.

Comments

[phantasmalpoison]

I watched some videos of it, it's a very cute animal! Great theme, I can't say I'm familiar with any Australasian animals beginning with q.

[prettygoodword]

They are indeed quite cute. I possibly should have led with this one.

[full_metal_ox]

Australasian fauna: what would alphabet primers do without them?

[prettygoodword]

😂

[minoanmiss]

they're as big as cats! interesting! I thought they were guinea pig ssized

[prettygoodword]

No, bandicoots are more that scale -- these are almost up there with wombats.