Have you heard of a quokka…?

Day 21 of colour – what colour is a quokka?

Hi there, that’s me! I’m actually a camouflage kind of colour, don’t you agree?

So, have you ever heard of me?

Yes I know, there are lots of us marsupials hanging around in Australia, but I’m actually less widespread than your common old kangaroo or wallaby. Okay, so I’m actually related to the wallaby, but I think I look quite different. A few of my relatives live onshore, but most of us hang out on a couple of islands off the coast of Western Australia.

In particular, one called Rottnest Island. Heaps of tourists head over to Rottnest, mostly to see me and my relatives. They call me the happiest animal on earth. I’m supposed to smile all the time, but it’s actually the way I was made, the shape of my mouth. You know how humans exaggerate. “Oh look, he’s so cute, see how he’s smiling at me?”.

Correct, I am cute, but I’m basically just looking for food, not loving on humans.

Have you heard of a quokka selfie? It’s a big thing over here.

I keep hearing my friends and relatives boasting that they’ve had their pictures taken with Chris Hemsworth, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, or someone called Kylie Minogue. Not quite sure who they all are, but they’re supposed to be famous in the human world. I’m told a couple of them hit a little green ball over a net and get paid stacks of money for doing it.

If you check out any of their selfie photos, please note that we are in fact a lot more photogenic than they are. I would also like to point out that we don’t get paid for appearing in a selfie.

To come and see me, all you’ve got to do is buy a ticket and hop on a ferry from the mainland to Rottnest. It doesn’t take long. Then you can hire a bike and ride around the island and stop for a swim whenever you get a bit hot. You’ll find lots of my friends wherever you go. Especially if you stop near a cafe. But please don’t try to feed us. Read the signs, you’ll get fined if you do.

I found out the other day that the Dutch guy who discovered our island was the one who called it Rottnest and that means Rat’s Nest in Dutch. I’m insulted. We’re not rats, we don’t look anything like them.

If we’re female (I’m not), we carry our baby around in a pouch for quite a while. The only thing that’s cuter than a quokka is a baby quokka, don’t you agree?

We let people get very close

We also blend in pretty well

Look forward to seeing some of you around! I’ll even let you take a selfie with me!

SOL22