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).
The Happiest Animal
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.
The quokka, a small marsupial native to Australia, is one such example of a species vulnerable to extinction in the country's harsh surroundings. Known as the “happiest animal in the world” due to its cute and friendly appearance, these creatures are now only found in a few isolated forests and small islands.
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.
The world has spoken: the always-smiling quokka is both the happiest and the most photogenic animal on the planet.
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 Australian quokka, part of the kangaroo family, is the happiest animal on earth. At least, that's how it appears. 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.
Rottnest Island is known worldwide to be the home of the happiest animal on Earth – the Quokka (Setonix brachyurus). Close relatives of Wallabies, these tiny animals are found all over Rottnest Island, where their survival is largely attributed to the exclusion of any natural predators.
Quokkas, famous for posing in selfies, are native to Rottnest Island where about 10,000 live a sheltered life free from predators or traffic.
Even if the name doesn't sound familiar, you've likely seen a quokka before. They've become famous across the internet for their fuzzy squirrel-like appearance, their photogenic smiles, and their friendly attitude.
3. They're known as the happiest animal in the world! It's rare to see a quokka without a big 'smile' on their face! This, along with their friendly and endearing personalities, has earned them a reputation as the happiest animal in the world.
Respect the koala
The koala is supposed to be a national treasure in Australia. They are unique and native to the land down under – found nowhere else on Earth. We put them on postcards and on stamps and in every foreign tourism campaign.
Seahorses flirt a lot
It's widely known that male seahorses carry fertilised eggs to full term while letting the females take care of feeding, but did you know that these creatures are quite romantic? Their courtship ritual consists of a lot of tail holding, nose touching, and colour changing.
Photo: flickr/alyssafilmmakerAs far as scientists can tell, humans are the only animals with "covert sexual signaling" (aka flirting). In many other species, males are very overt about their courtship signals, even to the extent of expensive, colorful displays.
This beautiful bird is a near-universal symbol of happiness.
The bluebird is a symbol of happiness in many cultures around the world, including in Russia, where it represents hope, and in China's Shang Dynasty, where it's a messenger of knowledge and enlightenment.
Doves. These beautiful white birds have always been associated with peace and love. In fact, they are found in Christian, Jewish, Islamic, and Hindu religious texts. Turtle doves also symbolize fidelity.
Dogs don't really mimic our smiles, but they may be triggered to smile more when they see us smiling. Most dogs really like the happy reaction they get when they please humans and quickly learn how to trigger that happy emotion. For some dogs, that includes smiling.
Some of our Australian animals are very well known like kangaroos, dingos, wallabies and wombats and of course the koala, platypus and echidna.
Australia is home to 140 species of marsupials, including kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, wombats and the Tasmanian Devil, now found only in Tasmania. The dingo is Australia's native wild dog and its largest carnivorous mammal.
Australia is known for many things, including swathes of tropical beaches, marine reserves, Aboriginal culture, cute koalas, rolling wine country, and lush rainforests.
What is a wombat? The common wombat—also called the bare-nosed wombat to distinguish it from the two other species of wombat, both of which have hairy-noses—is a large, stocky mammal found in open grasslands, mountains, and forests in Australia and nearby islands.