The quokka is the Australian mammal famous for its smiling appearance and naturally living on Rottnest Island.
Quokkas are small macropods related to kangaroos and wallabies. They are native to southwestern Australia, with major populations on Rottnest Island and Bald Island, as well as a mainland population near Albany. Their rounded faces and mouth shape often create a human-like expression in photographs.
Quokkas are mainly nocturnal herbivores. They eat grasses, leaves and other vegetation, and can survive periods without directly drinking by obtaining moisture from food. Like other marsupials, females raise their young in a pouch.
The name Rottnest Island comes from Dutch explorer Willem de Vlamingh, who mistook quokkas for large rats in 1696. Visitors should not feed or handle them, because human food can harm their health and wild behavior.