LIFE OF A "QUOKKA";

Quokkas are found on some smaller islands off the coast of Western Australia, Rottnest Island just off Perth and Bald Island near Albany and in isolated scattered population in forest and coastal health between Perth and Albany. A small colony exist at the eastern limit of their range in a protected area of Two People Bay Nature Reserve, where they co-exist with the critically endangered Gilberts potoroo.

like most macro pods, quokkas eat many types of vegetation, including grasses and leaves.

A study found that, a small shrub species of a family Malnaoae, is a one of the quokkas favored foods.

In part because eating "human food" can be very detrimental to the quokkas health, causing them to be dehydrated and malnourished. Despite the relative lack of fresh water on Rottnest Island, quokkas do have high water requirements, which they satisfy mostly through eating vegetation.

On the mainland quokkas only live in the areas that have 600mm or more of rain per year.

The quokkas has little fear of humans and it is common for quokkas to approach people closely, particularly on Rottnest Island.

It is, however, illegal for members of the public to handle the animals in any way, and feeding, particularly of "human food", is especially discouraged as they can easily get sick.

An infringement notice earring a $300 fine can be issued by the Rottnest Island Authority for such an offence. the maximum penalty for animal cruelty is a $50,000 fine and a five year prison sentence.

The quokkas population on Rottnest Island is 8,000-12,000 (est.2007).

Snakes are the quokkas only predator on the island.

The population on smaller Bald Island, where the quokkas has no  predators, is 600-1,000.

There are an estimated 4,000 quokkas on the mainland, with nearly all mainland populations in groups of less than 50, although there is one declining group of over 700 in the southern forest between Nannup and Denmark.

In 2015 an extensive bushfire near north cliff nearly eradicated  one o the local mainland populations, with an estimated 90% of the 500 quokkas dying.

At the end of summer and into autumn, there is a seasonal decline of quokkas on Rottnest Island, where loss of vegetation and reduction of available surface water can lead to starvation.