05/29/2026
Quokkas are famous online for looking like they’re constantly smiling, which is why people call them “the world’s happiest animal.”
Native to small parts of Western Australia, especially Rottnest Island, these tiny marsupials became internet celebrities because of their friendly expressions and curious behavior around humans.
But behind that cute image is a much harsher survival instinct. When threatened by predators, a mother quokka may eject her baby, called a joey, from her pouch while fleeing.
The joey’s movements and cries can distract the predator long enough for the mother to escape. It sounds cruel from a human perspective, but in the wild, survival often comes down to impossible choices.