All Deceased Quokkas Are Female
"Possibility of Toxic Plant Ingestion"
The quokka, famous for its nickname "the happiest animal in the world," has tragically died in a mass mortality event at an Australian zoo. Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Bora Lee] The news of a mass death of quokkas, small marsupials famous for their happy smiling expressions, at a zoo in Australia has sparked sadness.
According to the British BBC on the 11th (local time), at the Adelaide Zoo in Australia, 7 out of 11 quokkas being bred were found dead between the 9th and 10th of last month.
All the deceased quokkas were females, and one 11-month-old baby showed signs of poor health but is fortunately receiving treatment and recovering.
BBC reported, "The zoo said that two yellow-footed rock wallabies also died around the same time, and although the remaining yellow-footed rock wallabies were once in poor condition, they have now regained their health."
The cause of death for the animals has not yet been clearly identified. However, the Adelaide Zoo suggested that ingestion of toxic plants might be the cause and plans to analyze samples taken from the carcasses to determine the exact cause.
Meanwhile, quokkas are classified as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to their high risk of extinction. Quokkas, small marsupials belonging to the kangaroo family, have a wild population of about 15,000, mostly concentrated on Rottnest Island in southwestern Australia.
BBC also reported that the yellow-footed rock wallaby, which inhabits isolated mountainous areas, is estimated to have only about 2,000 individuals remaining in the wild, making it a species with a relatively small population.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
