Quokkas.
The Quokkas scientific name is Sentonix Brachyurus which is an interesting long name despite their small size. Their size is surprisingly 40-54cm which is roughly the size of a domestic house cat or wallaby.
The Quokkas are a marsupial, herbivorous, and nocturnal like bats, which means they are active during night and sleep in the morning. Their heavy built, short tail, and brownish grey fur makes them resemble a large rat which when early scientists found them, mistook them for giant rats. Approximately adult Quokkas weigh about 2.5kgs-5kgs but females weigh up to 1.6kgs-3.5kgs.
The weight of a male Quokkas is roughly 2.7kgs-4.5kgs. Surprisingly, they weigh almost the same as a small domestic cat or a small dog. Mother Quokkas drop their babies when they feel threatened when they relax their pouch muscles causing their Joeys to fall out which distracts the predator and gives the mother a lot more time to run away from the predator.
There are estimated to be 7500-15000 Quokkas left in the world. Quokkas live in western Australia, Rottnest island, and Bald island. Commonly they eat grass, leaves, succulents, and shrubs. Quokkas maximum age is 14-15 years yet averagely they live up to 10 years in the wild. The Quokkas predators are European red fox, feral cats, and dogs. Natural predators include snakes, birds, and owls. Quokkas cannot be kept as pets because they are protected wild animals native only to Australia, making it illegal to own, or disturb them.
Their “smiling” face earns them the “world’s happiest animal.”
REFERENCES:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quokka