The
Quokka (
Setonix brachyurus), the only member of the genus
Setonix, is a small
macropodMacropods are marsupials belonging to the family Macropodidae, which includes kangaroos, wallabies, tree-kangaroos, pademelons, and several others. Before European settlement, there were about 53 species of Macropods. Six species have since become extinct. Another 11 species have been greatly...
about the size of a domestic cat. Like other
marsupialMarsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by a distinctive pouch , in which females carry their young through early infancy.- History :...
s in the macropod family (such as the
kangarooA kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern and Western Grey Kangaroo...
s and
wallabiesA wallaby is any of about thirty species of macropod . It is an informal designation generally used for any macropod that is smaller than a kangaroo or wallaroo that has not been given some other name....
), the Quokka is herbivorous and mainly nocturnal. It can be found on some smaller islands off the coast of Western Australia, in particular on Rottnest Island just off Perth, and Bald Island near Albany.
The
Quokka (
Setonix brachyurus), the only member of the genus
Setonix, is a small
macropodMacropods are marsupials belonging to the family Macropodidae, which includes kangaroos, wallabies, tree-kangaroos, pademelons, and several others. Before European settlement, there were about 53 species of Macropods. Six species have since become extinct. Another 11 species have been greatly...
about the size of a domestic cat. Like other
marsupialMarsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by a distinctive pouch , in which females carry their young through early infancy.- History :...
s in the macropod family (such as the
kangarooA kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern and Western Grey Kangaroo...
s and
wallabiesA wallaby is any of about thirty species of macropod . It is an informal designation generally used for any macropod that is smaller than a kangaroo or wallaroo that has not been given some other name....
), the Quokka is herbivorous and mainly nocturnal. It can be found on some smaller islands off the coast of Western Australia, in particular on Rottnest Island just off Perth, and Bald Island near Albany. A small mainland colony exists in the protected area Two Peoples Bay, where they co-exist with
Gilbert's PotorooGilbert's Potoroo is an Australian marsupial, sometimes called a rat-kangaroo, that is critically endangered. It is described as pointed in the face and about the size of a rabbit. It lives in a restricted area on the southwest coast of Western Australia. Gilbert's Potoroos now exist on Bald...
.
Ecology
In the wild, its roaming is restricted to a very small range in the South-West of Western Australia. The Quokka has become rare, but remains a protected species on islands off the coast of that area,
Bald IslandBald Island is an island that is located in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. The island is offshore from Cheynes Beach and the island is a protected area and was declared a World Conservation Union Category IA nature reserve Bald Island is an island that is located in the Great...
,
Rottnest IslandRottnest Island is located 18 km off the coast of Western Australia, near Fremantle. It is called Wadjemup by the Noongar people, meaning "place across the water". The island is 11 kilometres long, and 4.5 kilometres at its widest point with a total land area of 19 km². It is classified as an A...
,
Garden IslandGarden Island is a slender island about ten kilometres long and one and a half kilometres wide, lying about off the Western Australian coast, to which it is now linked by a man-made causeway....
and rarely
Penguin IslandPenguin Island is a 12.5 ha island off the coast near Perth Western Australia, 700 m from Rockingham. It is home to a colony of Little Penguins, the largest population of the birds in Western Australia. The waters surrounding the island make up the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park...
. The islands are free of foxes and cats. On Rottnest Island, it is common and occupies a variety of habitats ranging from semi-arid scrub to cultivated gardens.
Description
It weighs 2.5 to 5 kg and is 40 to 54 cm long with a 25 to 30 cm tail — which is rather short for a macropod. It has a stocky build, rounded ears, and a short, broad head. Although looking rather like a very small, dumpy kangaroo, it can climb small trees and shrubs. Its coarse fur is a grizzled brown colour, fading to buff underneath. The Quokka recycles a small amount of its waste products.
Interaction with humans
The Quokka has no fear of humans and it is common for it to approach them closely, particularly on Rottnest Island. It is, however, illegal for members of the public on Rottnest Island to handle the animals in any way. An infringement notice carrying a
A$The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
100 fine can be issued by the Rottnest Island Authority for such behaviour. However, prosecution of the offence can result in a fine of up to $1000. Such fines are implemented in the rare cases that Quokkas are abused or killed by visitors to Rottnest.
Status
Although numerous on the small offshore islands, it has a very restricted range and is classified as vulnerable. On the mainland, where it is threatened by introduced predatory species such as foxes, it requires dense ground cover for refuge. Agricultural development has reduced this habitat, and has thus contributed to the decline of the species. Introduced cats and dogs, as well as dingoes, have added to the problem, as have the clearing and burning of the remaining swamplands.
European discovery
The Quokka was one of the first Australian mammals seen by Europeans. The Dutch mariner Samuel Volckertzoon wrote of sighting "a wild cat" on Rottnest Island in 1658. In 1696
Willem de VlaminghWillem de Vlamingh was a Dutch sea-captain who explored the southwest coast of Australia in the late 17th century....
mistook them for rats and named the island "Rottenest", Dutch for "rat nest".
Name
The word
quokka is derived from a Nyungar word, which was probably
gwaga.
The
roguelikeThe roguelike is a sub-genre of role-playing video games, characterized by randomization for replayability, permanent death, and turn-based movement. Many early roguelikes featured ASCII graphics. Games are typically dungeon crawls, with many monsters, items, and environmental features...
game
Dungeon CrawlA dungeon crawl is a type of scenario in fantasy role-playing games in which heroes navigate a labyrinthine environment, battling various monsters and looting any treasure they may find...
includes the quokka as one of the
ungulateUngulates are several groups of mammals, most of which use the tips of their toes, usually hoofed, to sustain their whole body weight while moving. They make up several orders of mammals, of which six to eight survive...
/quadreped monsters, represented by a 'q', and is the only extant species in that category. The in-game description simply states, "Don't call it a rat."
External links