30 Quokka Pics That Are Almost Too Cute To Handle

To all the folks that didn't come from Australia, most of us have always wondered how come the country has such an array of unique animals. Well, some say that it's because Australia used to be part of a continent that detached and became an island many, many years ago, and sort of evolved differently due to the isolation. And as it drifted away from the southern polar region and the climate became warmer and drier – more species evolved and dominated the land.

Moreover, the country also has the most animals with the most deadly venoms, and is a home to 20 out of 25 most venomous snakes. For instance, the inland taipan, or a fierce snake that is found nowhere else, has enough venom to kill around 250,000 mice in a single bite. But enough with the horror stories, it's time to focus on the most adorable animal of Australia - the quokka.

Think about your favorite animal, now multiply that feeling by god knows how many times and this is exactly how you'll feel if you ever encounter a quokka. Even if for some peculiar reason you're not a fan of animals, you can't possibly ignore their lovable and immensely happy faces.

Quokkas grow to be approximately the size of a domestic cat, and are wallabies, which is basically a small or middle-sized macropod that is a member of the kangaroo clan. They have short tails, short faces and these precious round ears on the top of their heads. Quokkas proudly own the title of the "happiest animal on Earth" that was granted to them by fellow humans who couldn't resist their adorableness.

Quokkas are, in all likelihood, the most beloved and famous animals on Rottnest Island. In 1696, Willem de Vlamingh, a Dutch explorer described these creatures as "a kind of rat as big as a common cat" and named the island "rotte nest", which, when translated from Dutch, means rat's nest.

The animals are generally nocturnal and spend most of their sunny days sleeping and relaxing under shaded bushes. They eat seeds, leaves, grass, roots and tend to swallow things to then later regurgitate and chew on. Moreover, quokkas don't need much water and can go months without drinking. Though there are many tourists on the island eager to see these beautiful creatures, it is advised not to feed them, as the human food can make these furry cuties ill and dehydrated.

An interesting fact about quokkas is that they love to keep together, as they're quite sociable with their own kind, so chances are if you'll see one – there'll be many more around waiting to impress you with their never-ending smile. And just when you think that there could be nothing cuter about these adorable beauties, their babies are called "joeys" – just like the kangaroo's and koala's furry offspring. Moreover, regarding their reproduction, the animals could give birth to up to 17 babies during their lifetime. Though quokkas can only give birth to one baby at a time, the little ones mature quite quickly, allowing their mamas to have two babies a year. However, there have been some instances when the animals throw their babies out of their pouches in case of danger, to distract and have some time to get away from the threat.

With an ongoing "quokka selfie" trend, even though it's very hard to resist their charm, the critters are highly protected in Australia and it's actually illegal to pet them, so if one fails to comply, they could get a whopping $300 fine. These irresistible creatures definitely don't mind taking a pic or two, though, as they've grown to tolerate humans, it would be in your best interest not to overstep any boundaries, and protect them by abstaining from feeding and touching these rays of sunshine.

Unfortunately, quokkas are at risk of extinction, as the animals have lost around 50 percent of their habitat in the past 200 years. It's crucial to protect and help our beloved animal friends, whenever and however we can. Remember and follow the rules when encountering these furry beauties, don't feed them and they will continue living their furry lives, making us happy for many more decades.