Quokka don't actually throw their babies at their predators
But they still do something similar.
Native to Australia, quokkas are an herbivorous marsupial that belong to the macropod family, which includes kangaroos and wallabies. Their distinctive smiles and friendly demeanour have made them a viral sensation on social media, earning them the nickname "the world's happiest animal."
And they are seriously one of the cutest animals in the world.
But despite their super adorable faces, they’re not as innocent as you think.
Particularly when they’re being threatened.
Now there is a myth circulating the internet that a quokka will throw their babies when threatened by predators. While it’s not exactly 100% true, it’s not false either.
Yes, quokkas will sacrifice their joeys when they feel threatened, but rather than throwing them, they actually drop them.
The mother deliberately relaxes her pouch, allowing the baby to fall out. This action is by no means an accident; quokkas possess precise control over the muscles in their pouches. The rationale behind this seemingly harsh behaviour lies in the mother's prioritization of her own survival and future reproduction over the current joey.
As cruel as it sounds, since quokkas employ the use of embryonic diapause where they can delay the implantation of their embryos in their uterus, they can quickly reproduce after the demise of their joey. So, to the mother, their joey is easily replaceable.
But quokkas aren’t the only animals that leave their joeys when been threatened. Other macropods such as potoroos, woylies and boodies also drop their joeys. And just like the quokka, those macropods also exhibit embryonic diapause.
Thankfully quokkas don’t have that many predators, hence they are they are so approachable and friendly. Which means they don’t have to drop their babies at their predator’s feet that much. At least I hope not.
But throwing them is so much cooler