Nature: Exotic Creatures 1

– The Quokka –

“The Quokka, scientifically known as Setonix brachyurus, is an intriguing marsupial native to the southwestern region of Western Australia. Often labelled as the world’s happiest animal due to its seemingly perpetual smile, the quokka has a friendly and inquisitive nature that endears it to humans. The small-sized animal, typically weighing between 2.5 to 5 kilograms, is renowned for its adept climbing skills, which it utilizes to forage for a diverse diet of leaves, grass, and bark. Despite the lack of apparent threat, quokkas possess a unique defensive technique. In face of predators, they have been observed to catapult their offspring as a distraction, allowing themselves a chance to escape.

Quokkas are nocturnal creatures, generally active during the night and resting in the shade during the day to conserve energy. With a lifespan of about ten years in the wild, their populations are regulated by a distinct mating season which peaks in summer.

The species, however, is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN due to habitat loss and predation by invasive species, making conservation efforts critical for its survival.”

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO words from the text for each answer.

Quokkas are native to the southwestern region of ________ Australia.
This animal is often described as the world’s ________ animal due to its constant smile.
Quokkas are skilled ________ and use this ability to search for food like leaves, grass, and bark.
When faced with danger, quokkas can use their offspring as a ________ to evade predators.
Being ________ creatures, quokkas are mainly active during the night and rest in the shade during the day.
Quokkas are listed as ________ by the IUCN due to habitat loss and predation by invasive species.

Choose NO MORE THAN ONE word from the text for each answer.

Originating from the southwestern region of Western Australia, the Quokka, or Setonix brachyurus, is a fascinating marsupial known for its persistent smile, which gives it the title of the world’s ‘happiest’ animal. The creature, although small and weighing around 2.5 to 5 kilograms, exhibits remarkable ________ 1 abilities to search for its varied diet of leaves, grass, and bark. In the presence of threats, quokkas resort to an unusual defense mechanism – they might hurl their ________ 2 as a decoy to escape predators. They are predominantly ________ 3 animals, active during night hours and seeking shade in daylight to save energy. Quokkas have a life expectancy of about ten years in the wild, with their numbers controlled by a specific mating season, peaking in summer. However, they are currently classified as ________ 4 by the IUCN due to factors like habitat loss and predation by invasive species, underscoring the importance of ________ 5 efforts for their survival.

Vocabulary Builder

Find the synonyms (words with the same or similar meaning) to these 9 words from the original passage.

Original word	Variants used
Native	________
Happiest	________
Climbing	________
Offspring	________
Nocturnal	___________________
Resting	___________________
Lifespan	___________________
Mating	________
Conservation	________

Reveal answer (8 More Words)

Original word	Variants used
Native	Originating
Happiest	Cheerful
Climbing	Ascending
Offspring	Progeny
Nocturnal	Active during night hours
Resting	Seeking shade
Lifespan	Life expectancy
Mating	Reproduction
Conservation	Preservation