Quokka

Setonix brachyurus

Easy

The **Quokka** (*Setonix brachyurus)* is a small Australian marsupial featured in the Oceania Pack DLC for *Planet Zoo*.

## Zoopedia Description

### General

**Population In Wild:** 7,500-15,000

The quokka (or Setonix brachyurus) is a small species of wallaby that lives in the swamps, scrublands and forests of the Rottnest Island and Bald Island, as well as the coast of South-West Australia. It has thick, buff-brown fur, large and powerful hindlegs, small and dexterous forearms, and a thin tail. It has rounded ears and a round face, with a characteristic 'smiling' expression. Quokkas measure 40cm to 54cm (16in to 21in) in length, with an additional 25cm to 30cm (10 to 12in) tail. Males are slightly larger than females, weighing between 2.7kg and 5kg (6lb and 11lb), compared to females at 1.5kg to 3.5kg (3.3lb to 7.7lb).

Quokkas are considered a Vulnerable species. Their numbers have declined due to the introduction of predators, such as pets, habitat loss caused by human development and improper interaction with wildlife, as as the feeding of unsuitable items. Thanks to the popularity and internet hype of the species, there has been a recent increase in the amount of money spent on their conservation projects. In their native habitat, protection laws have been put in place, ruling that they should not be touched, fed, or taken as pets. There are also ongoing efforts to restore their natural environment in some areas of mainland Australia.

### Social needs

Quokkas live in loosely bonded family groups of 12 to 24 individuals, but they may gather in large groups of up to 150 around water and food sources. They tolerate nearby conspecifics but aren't particularly social.

### Reproduction

Quokkas in mainland Australia appear to reproduce year-round, while the population on Rottnest Island breads only between January to August. Females choose a mate generally based on size, therefore larger males are more likely to mate with multiple females. They are polygamous, meaning both sexes will mate several times with different partners.

After a pregnancy of 27 days, a tiny, underdeveloped joey is born, who will crawl into the mother's pouch. There, it attaches to a teat to suckle, and remains there for the next 6 months. While males do not participate in parental care, some may defend a female who is carrying their offspring. The joey emerges from the pouch at 6 months old to being eating solid food, intermittently returning to the pouch to milk feed for another 2 months, until weaned at 8 months old.

Female Quokkas are sexually mature by this time, male Quokkas reach sexual maturity a little later, at 13 months old.

## Animal care

 FEEDING STATIONS
 FOOD ENRICHMENT
Small Barrel Feeder
Tunnel · Water Jet · Water Jet Rock · Tennis Ball · Small Bubble Machine · Sprinkler · Herb Scent Marker

## Trivia

### Zoopedia Fun Facts

* The quokka's bone structure, with small jaws and protruding teeth, make them appear as if they are smiling.
* Quokkas do not fear humans and treat them with curiosity. As they don't have any natural predators, they lack instinctive fearfulness. This has resulted in a fad of ´quokka selfies´, popularising the animal in online culture.
* Most of the quokka's predators are introduced species and include dingoes, foxes, domestic dogs, and cats.
* Quokka females may remove and abandon a joey from their pouch when being pursued by a predator to create a distraction and increase their chances of escape.
* The quokka's main habitat, Rottnest Island, was named by a Dutch explorer. It translates to ´Rat's Nest Island´, because he believed the quokkas was giant rats.