Meet the quokkas, Australia's happy and viral sensations

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How quokkas substance tourism that money extortion

Quokkas, a uncommon carnal connected land adjacent Australia, substance tourism that helps money protection 03:56

Australia is celebrated for animals that don't beryllium successful the chaotic anyplace other connected Earth, including a carnal called the quokka. The uncommon animals — located connected Rottnest Island adjacent Australia's westbound seashore successful the Indian Ocean — are besides helping money their ain conservation efforts, acknowledgment to their contagious smiles.

The tiny land is location to unspoiled wilderness, pristine beaches and the quokkas. Around 10,000 quokkas unrecorded there, and person go a fashionable tourer attraction.

They're cousins of the kangaroo, but basal lone astir 20 inches tall.

1748352391191.png The quokkas, known for their apparent smiles, person go a fashionable tourer attraction connected a tiny land disconnected of Australia's westbound coast. CBS News

Because they look to beryllium smiling, quokkas person go a viral sensation. Known arsenic the world's happiest animals, celebrities similar Roger Federer, Margot Robbie and Logan Paul person snapped selfies with the adorable animal. Scientists accidental quokkas are people funny and person adapted to being astir tourists.

There are besides rules to interacting with quokkas. For example, It's forbidden to provender oregon interaction them. They adjacent person the close of mode connected roads.

"They're truthful cute. They're adorable," said Kacie Wellington. "I mean they look similar they're smiling." 

On the Australian mainland, quokkas are threatened by wildfires and feral cats, but connected the island, they person nary earthy predators and are fearless and affable with humans.

They person been called a conservation occurrence story, with request for selfies fueling the tourism that helps money their protection.

"They're conscionable a precise chilled animal," said Arvid Hogstrom, who is successful complaint of conservation connected Rottnest Island.

Hogstrom explained that the quokkas are not really smiling.

"It's conscionable portion of their earthy physiology," helium said, but added helium suspects they're blessed animals.

"They pb a beauteous easygoing life," helium said. "So I don't spot immoderate crushed wherefore they wouldn't beryllium happy."

Holly Williams

Holly Williams is simply a CBS News elder overseas analogous based successful the network's CBS London bureau. Williams joined CBS News successful July 2012, and has much than 25 years of acquisition covering large quality events and planetary conflicts crossed Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

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