Saved by Selfies?

With all the puppies, kittens, and babies out there posing for the camera, competition for the title of “Internet’s Most Adorable Star” is fierce. The winner, however, might just be the quokka [KWAH-kuh].

About the size of a house cat, the quokka is a marsupial, like the kangaroo. Quokkas were once common in southwestern Australia, but habitat loss, climate change, and invasive predators such as foxes and feral cats have put these animals in danger. Today less/fewer than 15,000 quokkas remain on Earth. Most live on Rottnest Island, less/fewer than 12 miles off Australia’s western coast.

In 2013, an online newspaper posted photos of a quokka that appeared to be smiling, calling it “the happiest animal in the world.” Before long, thousands of visitors were coming to Rottnest, many for one reason: to take a selfie with a quokka.

Some experts worried that all the selfie seekers would harm the quokkas. Wild animals can become stressed when humans get too close. Plus, the increased tourism led to quokkas getting their little paws on human food. In addition to being unhealthy for quokkas, eating human food has made the animals eat less/fewer of the bark, grass, and other vegetation that make up their natural diet. Perhaps a bit less/fewer fame would be good for quokkas? 

Despite concerns, Rottnest’s quokkas seem to be doing well. Signs now remind tourists not to feed or touch the quokkas, so hopefully the animals are eating less/fewer human food and enjoying a bit more personal space.

Meanwhile, there are now more than 300,000 quokka selfies on Instagram. As a result, millions of people know that these fuzzy creatures are endangered and want to help them. Conservation groups are also working hard to protect quokkas—all happy news for the happiest animals in the world!