Monday, 12 October 2020

1510) "Quokka" (Setonix brachyurus), Australia: A Silver $1 (One Australian Dollar) Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) Coin issued by the Perth Mint Australia: Year of Coin issue: 2020:

1510) "Quokka" (Setonix brachyurus), Australia: A Silver $1 (One Australian Dollar) Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) Coin issued by the Perth Mint Australia: Year of Coin issue: 2020:

The Quokka is a short-tailed scrub wallaby and is a small macropod about the size of a domestic cat. The Quokka is known for its cute, smiley appearance and friendliness towards humans. This Australian native is termed the "Earth's Happiest Animal". The term "Quokka" is derived from a Nyungar word - "gwaga".

It is herbivorous - eating many types of vegetation, including grasses, sedges and leaves - and is chiefly nocturnal.

Quokkas are found on some smaller islands off the coast of Western Australia, particularly on Rottnest Island, just off Perth, and also Bald Island near Albany and in isolated, scattered populations in forest and coastal heath between Perth and Albany. A small colony exists at the Eastern limit of their range in a protected area of "Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve".

A Quokka weighs about 2.5 to 5.0 kilograms (or 5.5 to 11.0 lb) and is 40 to 54 centimetres (or 16.0 to 21.0 inches) long, with a 25 to 30.0 centimetre long (or 9.8 to 11.8 tail.

It has a stocky build, well developed hind legs, rounded ears and a short, broad head. Although looking like a very small kangaroo, it can climb small trees and shrubs up to 1.5 metres (or 4 feet 11 inches).

Its coarse fur is a grizzled brown colour, fading to buff underneath.

Quokkas live for an average age of 10 years.

Females give birth twice a year to a single baby called joey and can produce about 17 joeys during their lifespan.

The discovery of Quokkas is credited to Dutch mariner Samuel Volckertzoon, who wrote of sighting a "wild cat" on Rottnest Island in 1658.

In 1696, the Dutch explorer Willem de Vlamingh mistook them for giant rats and named the island "Rottnest Island", which derives from the Dutch word "Rattenest (meaning "rat nest").

The islands are free from predators such as red foxes and cats.

Quokka population today:

At the time of the colonial settlement, the Quokka was widespread and abundant and distributed over a range encompassing an area of about 41,200 square kilometres (about 15,900 square miles) of the South-west of Western Australia including two off-shore islands - Bald and Rottnest.

About three decades ago, its population had declined by more than 50%.

The chief reasons are -

- Predation by red foxes, cats and dogs.

- logging, agricultural development and housing expansion have reduced their habitat, particularly dense ground cover where they take refuge from predators.

- they raise only one joey annually, which is threatened by predators and contributes to the scarcity of the species on the mainland.

- at the end of summer and into autumn, a seasonal decline of quokkas occurs on Rottnest Island, where loss of vegetation and reduction of available surface water leads to starvation.

The Commemorative Silver Coin:

This commemorative coin released by the Perth Mint, Australia, pays a tribute to the Quokka - "the "Earth's Happiest Animal", found only in Australia.

Each coin features a unique security detail in the form of a micro-laser ebgraved letter within the design, which is detectable only under a magnifying glass.

On the Reverse of the $1 (One Australian Dollar) Silver Coin is seen an image of an adorable, "Happy/Smiling" Quokka on Rottnest Island, holding a leaf - its preferred choice of food. It is depicted standing on its hind legs with a lighthouse in the background. 

The inscription on the upper periphery reads - "QUOKKA".

On the Obverse of the $1 (One Australian Dollar) Silver Coin is seen an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II facing right designed by Jody Clark, whose initials "JC" appear below the Queen's neck.

The peripheral inscriptions read - "ELIZABETH II. AUSTRALIA. 1 Oz. .9999 Ag. 2020. 1 DOLLAR"

The specifications of this coin are:

Country of Coin issue: Australia; Denomination: $1 (One Australian Dollar); Metal Composition: .9999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 31.107 grams or 1 OZ; Diameter/Size: 40.0 mm; Coin Quality: Brilliant Uncirculated (BU); Mint: Perth Mint, Australia; Mintage: 30,000 pieces; Certificate of Authenticity: Yes;  Year: 2020.

An image of a Quokka in its habitat.


A Quokka Family - Mother, Father and a joey.

A NGC (Numismatic Guarantee Corporation) Certified MS-70 Coin (the highest grade awarded to a coin indicating that it is perfect/flawless).









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8 comments:

  1. Vikram Bhatnagar has commented:
    "Strangely, we left such beauties behind while continentally drifting north from Australia! 🤔"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very true, Vikram. It was the Dutch explorers who discovered the cute fellow in the 1600s. Indeed a loss for us. This fellow likes human company and loves it when selfies are taken with it.

      Delete
  2. Santosh Khanna has commented:
    "Super."

    ReplyDelete
  3. Girish Kumar Bhumri has commented:
    "Thanks for addition to our knowledge."

    ReplyDelete
  4. Vinod Khurana has commented:
    "Nature has lot many things, which one feels good to know. Thanks for sharing."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The wonders of nature are indeed unfathomable, Vinodji. Thank you for visiting the blog.

      Delete