This is the ‘World’s Happiest Animal’ (and you’ve never heard of it)

It doesn’t take much to see why the quokka has earned its title of the World’s Happiest Animal.

Part of the kangaroo and wallaby family, and around the size of a small cat, the marsupial can only be found on Western Australia’s Rottnest Island, and a handful of smaller islands around the coast of Western Australia.

In recent years, the quokka has become somewhat of a tourist attraction for Rottnest Island, with visitors (including A-listers such as Margot Robbie, Roger Federer, Hugh Jackman, and most recently, Chris Hemsworth) flocking to try a snap a picture with the friendly, happy creature — birthing the trend of the #QuokkaSelfie.

And it’s with good reason — no matter what angle you snap the creature from, it will guarantee you with possibly the most adorable smile you’ll ever see.

Quokkas are friendly and trusting, so wait nearby and let them come to you! Don’t tempt them with food or water, and use a selfie stick to maintain a respectful distance — remember they are a wild animal and you are visiting their home.

So, what better way to celebrate World Happiness Day than with a compilation of photographs of the World’s Happiest Animal?

 

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A post shared by James Vodicka (@jamesvodicka) on Mar 17, 2019 at 3:24am PDT

 

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A post shared by Hugh Jackman (@thehughjackman) on Dec 18, 2015 at 4:27am PST

 

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A post shared by Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth) on Mar 14, 2019 at 9:23pm PDT

 

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A post shared by @margotrobbie on Mar 18, 2018 at 11:32pm PDT

 

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A post shared by Pete Wentz (@petewentz) on Mar 4, 2018 at 11:23pm PST

 

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A post shared by Allan Dixon (@daxon) on Feb 24, 2017 at 9:10pm PST

 

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A post shared by CamboJones | Travelling Aus 🤙 (@cambojones2020) on Jan 25, 2017 at 10:04pm PST

 

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A post shared by CamboJones | Travelling Aus 🤙 (@cambojones2020) on Jan 23, 2017 at 4:15am PST

 

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A post shared by Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) on Dec 28, 2017 at 1:02am PST

 

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A post shared by Adrian Grenier (@adriangrenier) on Nov 10, 2017 at 7:07am PST

 

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A post shared by Nature 🌎 (@natures) on Mar 12, 2019 at 2:02pm PDT

Quokkas are native to Rottnest Island, where around 10,000 of the friendly creatures live a sheltered life free from predators or traffic (they have been almost completely wiped out on the mainland).

While the quokkas are arguably the biggest attraction of the island, it is also covered in bays, dunes, and stunning beaches where visitors and locals flock to snorkel and spend the day.

More than 700,000 visitors visit the car-free island yearly to get the chance at snapping a selfie with the World’s Happiest Animal.