The Happiest Animal The
In the mid-2010s, quokkas earned a reputation on the internet as "the world's happiest animals" and symbols of positivity, as frontal photos of their faces make them appear to be smiling (they do not, in fact "smile" in the human sense; this can be attributed to their natural facial structures).
1. Quokkas. The quokka, a pint-sized marsupial native to the islands off the coast of Australia and distantly related to kangaroos and wallabies, is nearly always smiling. Just browse through the fun photos captured in the viral hashtag “#quokkaselfie” to see these adorable critters in action.
It's easy to see why the Quokka has been dubbed Australia's happiest animal - that gorgeous little smile! These heart melting creatures mainly reside on Rottnest Island, offshore from Perth, Western Australia.
Quokkas, famous for posing in selfies, are native to Rottnest Island where about 10,000 live a sheltered life free from predators or traffic. They are classified as a vulnerable species and have been almost completely wiped out on the mainland.
Arguably the most famous Aussie animal of all, the kangaroo can be spotted just about anywhere across the country, but how can we go past a location named after these iconic creatures?
The Tasmanian Devil is a marsupial that only lives - the name says it all - on the island of Tasmania. It is one of Australia's most unique and endangered species.
The quokka's mouth is shaped in such a way that it just always looks like it's smiling. And when quokkas stick out their tongues while grinning? They're really just trying to cool off. Still, says Hollis, “they do also look pretty happy when they're getting petted by tourists, so maybe they are actually happy!”
But the quokkas on Rottnest are the friendliest fauna in the Australian outback, always ready to smile for a selfie. Since there are no predators on the island, these marsupials don't live a life of threat or fear, and are welcoming to the 770,000 tourists that visit the island annually.
The rarest smile type is the complex smile, with only an estimated 2% of the population possessing this smile. This smile is rare because it requires three muscle groups to work simultaneously when smiling.
The world has spoken: the always-smiling quokka is both the happiest and the most photogenic animal on the planet. Known for its charismatic grin and friendly disposition, the quokka is the perfect selfie co-star, as made apparent by the popularity of the hashtag: #quokkaselfie.
A Quokka is a small, short-tailed wallaby with a cute face, round ears, and impressive tree-climbing ability. Quokkas are native to Western Australia, and are known for their cheeky little grins. It seems as if Quokkas are always smiling no matter what, and hence they are known as 'The Happiest Animals in the World.
Koalas - one of Australia's most beloved animals, thanks to their cuddly appearance and adorable nose. With their grey fur, big, fluffy ears, and large nose, koalas are not just one of the most well-known cute Australian animals, they can actually only be found (in the wild) in the country's east.
More than 80% of our plants, mammals, reptiles and frogs are unique to Australia and are found nowhere else in the world. Some of our Australian animals are very well known like kangaroos, dingos, wallabies and wombats and of course the koala, platypus and echidna.
Quokka Selfie Is Cutest Trend In Australia Right Now
Quokka Selfie - The Quokka, an irrestistibly adorable and happy-looking marsupial native to Australia, is now at the epicenter of what is possibly the cutest trend we've ever seen – the Quokka selfie.
Until recently, many people outside of Australia had never heard of thequokka, a Muppet-cute (despite its beady eyes and rat's tail) marsupial with an irresistible smile.
Once described by a Dutch sea captain as 'a kind of rat as big as a common cat', the furry creatures always wear a cheeky grin – even when asleep. Scientists still don't understand why the quokkas are always smiling, but they put it down to an 'accident of evolution'.
The quokka, a close cousin of the kangaroo, rocketed to internet fame when tourists began taking selfies with the animal, which is unafraid of humans and appears to smile for pictures.
Quokkas don't, of course, smile. They just look like they do.
Hunted for meat and for sport, and used as a motif in the decorative arts, the kangaroo was finally recognised as an official symbol of Australia when it was included on the nation's coat of arms in 1908.
Australia is known for many things, including swathes of tropical beaches, marine reserves, Aboriginal culture, cute koalas, rolling wine country, and lush rainforests.
Vaquita. On the brink of extinction, the vaquita is the smallest living species of cetacean. The single rarest animal in the world is the vaquita (Phocoena sinus).