Do Quokkas Throw Babies At Predators To Defend Themselves?

Do Quokkas Throw Babies At Predators To Defend Themselves?

The Quokka baby throw, tossing babies at predators. We get down and find out the real facts about this online rumor.  

You may have read or seen the meme stating "Think you're a bad mother? Quokkas throw their babies at predators to defend themselves".

baby quokka a joey poking its head out of the mothers pouch

Well in this video we find out what mother quokka really does and where this statement originated. Talk to the artist that started the whole idea and shed light on this tossing baby situation.

Watch our video and find out the truth. 

 

For the latest quokka animal smiles media follow us ► http://www.instagram.com/quokkahub

The idea that quokkas throw their babies originated from a Sad Animal Facts drawing

In June 2018 Sad Animal Facts published this drawing that started the whole rumor.

Google Trends Verifies this information as the first online mention of this fact

 quokka baby throw google trends indicate first searching term recorded in june 2018

Google's first recorded index date of this searched information aligns with Sad Animal Facts' publishing date of June 2018.

 

Allan Dixon spoke to Sad Animal Facts about her fact source

This was there conversation as seen in the video.

Allan Dixon - "We need the truth! Your fact about quokkas throwing their babies has gone viral and become believable. Can you please tell me the source of where you found this fact? Referring to your post from 2018. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bj76DELAWEF/?igshid=1s8sprtdbeyis Thanks"

SadAnimalFacts - "Hey Allan! For sure, this is the study I’m referencing: https://ibs.bialowieza.pl/g2/pdf/1617.pdf The baby ejection is on page 720 (but don’t worry it’s not that long! The pdf starts in the 700s)"

Allan Dixon - "WTF! Maybe it's true. It seems to be a very rare occurrence. 🐻😓 But the one thing that you added was the word `throw` which took the whole meme out of proportion. I think people thought the quokkas physically throw the babies at the predators."

SadAnimalFacts - "Ah oh no! In hindsight shoot seems better."

Watch the full conversation unfold in the video above.

The Study from where Sad Animal Facts references her ‘throw’ fact does not include the word throw

The Quokka Study - Expelling Baby Quokkas Document https://ibs.bialowieza.pl/g2/pdf/1617.pdf

Check for yourself and read the quokka study on page 720 (don't worry it starts on page 700 so not much scrolling) 

The study states - "When a female quokka becomes aware of a life-threatening interaction with a predator she may expel her off-spring whose subsequent noise attracts the attention of the approaching predator. It seems likely that the predator would take the young in such circumstances"

There are no mentions of the word ‘throw’ in the entire document.

Do You Even Lift?

Have you seen the size of quokka arms and hands. If not look again. They don’t really have any arm strength, not much power or flexibility. 

quokka weak arms

allan dixon daxon with quokka

But they do have one good skill. A really strong grip.

Family Values - Their Animal Cousins Don't Throw Babies Either

Quokkas come from the marsupial family, which include Kangaroos and Wallabies. Both of which don’t throw their babies. 

In Conclusion - The Truth

The word 'throw' was added in the Sad Animal Facts illustration which then took the whole expelling action out of proportion. Quokkas cannot throw their babies, but they can gently expelling them out of their pouch. This is more of a slipping out onto the ground situation. 

So it is plausible for a quokka momma to expel her baby as a decoy and hop away to save her life.

Quokkas how could you! 

 

-Allan

 

P.S. Follow along for daily quokka smiles on our Instagram @quokkahub

Back to blog

124 comments

https://aralenquinesop.com/ how does sildenafil work [url=https://aralenquinesun.com/ ]sildenafil 50 mg [/url] sildenafil brand name

UnjubIdorodub

hydroxycloquin https://aralenquinesop.com/ hydrochoriquine

hydroxychloroquinetal

combigan uk buy brimonidine online

brimonidine

Very interesting, Thanks for posting! If only larger offspring are expelled, how was it determined that it’s so the offspring will attract the predator instead of the possibility that the offspring’s weight would prevent the mother from escaping? If it were to attract predators you would think they would expel smaller offspring as well. Thanks for your insights!

Ronald Moore

modalert [url=https://trytadalafilok.com/#]modalert review[/url]

provigil dosage

Leave a comment