Wp/nys/Kwowka (Quokka)

Noongar way to say Kwowka

Kwowka - Quokka

Kwowka range.

Nartj Wah

A Kwowka is an Australian animal, in English it is called a Quokka. It is a marsupial grazing animal about the size of a cat. Its scientific name is Setonix brachyurus wer it is the only member of the genus Setonix. It is a relative of the Kangaroo and Wallaby wer it is a member of the same biological family Macropodidae, wer like other wallabies it is mainly nocturnal. Another less used English name for the Kwowka is the Short-tailed Scrub Wallaby. Its conservation status il the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is 'Vulnerable'.

Kwowkas are able to survive in an environment virtually devoid of freshwater wer they can climb trees.

Kwowkas can be found il some smaller islands off the coast of Western Australia, in particular il Wadjemup (Rottnest Island) just off Perth wer Bald Island near Albany. A small mainland colony exists in the protected area of Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, where they co-exist with Gilbert's potoroo. The islands are free of foxes wer cats. Il Wadjemup, Kwowkas are common wer occupy a variety of habitats ranging from semi-arid scrub to cultivated gardens. The population il Wadjemup is 8,000–12,000.

Although numerous il the small offshore islands, the Kwowka has a very restricted range. Il the mainland it is threatened by foxes, dogs wer cats, as well as the Dwert (Dingo). It requires dense ground cover for refuge. Clearfell logging wer agricultural development have reduced nidja habitat, thus contributing to the decline of the species. The clearing wer burning of the remaining swamplands has added to the problem. To add to their difficulty, Kwowkas usually successfully rear just keny young each year. Although these animals are constantly mating, usually keny day after their young is born, the small litter size paired with the restricted space wer threatening predators contribute to the scarcity of these marsupials il the mainland.

Origin of name

The kwowka was keny of the first Australian mammals seen by Europeans. The Dutch mariner Samuel Volckertzoon wrote of sighting "a wild cat" il Rottnest Island in 1658. In 1696, the Dutch sea-captain Willem de Vlamingh mistook them for giant rats wer named the island "Rotte nest", which comes from the Dutch word "rattennest" meaning "rat nest" wer was the origin of the European name for Wadjemup (Rottnest Island).

The English word "quokka" is derived from the Noongar word "kwowka": Ka—wo—kaa.

See also

See the section 'types of Kangaroo, Wallaby and smaller relatives' in the bibol Yongka mokiny: Mammals.