A few years ago, #quokkaselfie went viral as the world discovered the adorable smile of the quokka, a small marsupial endemic to Western Australia. The quokka soon became known as 'the happiest animal in the world'. I was in Australia at the time, road-tripping solo across the country from the east coast to the west, and finding this cute species was very high on my bucket list. When my road trip ended at the city of Perth, where I found work for a few months, it was the perfect opportunity to go on a quokka hunt.
The easiest place to find them is Rottnest Island, just a short ferry ride from the city and a popular tourist destination. I jumped on the boat early in the morning, excited to explore the small island. But I was also a bit nervous.
What if the quokka proved hard to find? What if I spent my whole day looking and came up with nothing? The disappointment would be great indeed.
I worried for nothing.
It would genuinely be impossible to visit Rottnest and NOT see a quokka. These guys are everywhere. Hopping calmly between tables and chairs dotted outside the bakery, along the grassy areas by the beach, under bushes on the path to the lighthouse, between the line of holiday houses on the northern shore. Literally everywhere.
With no natural predators, the quokkas have no fear of the many humans that have taken over their island. Some are wary, preferring to keep their distance, some are completely indifferent to our presence, others have a natural curiosity that has them hopping closer (and trying to steal a small stuffed toy that I carry on my travels!). Getting an actual #quokkaselfie was a little trickier than I imagined, but those quokkas were more than adorable enough for the both of us.
Each and every quokka I encountered on my loop of the island made me smile, but I was careful to remember that even though some acted very tame, they were still wild animals. They're not pets, so keeping a distance and curbing that impulse to reach out and pet them is important!
Want to know more about visiting Rottnest Island and its cute quokkas? Read more about my day trip on my blog!
