The Quokkatuff looks very much like a regular quokka — round face, bright eyes, always smiling — but it has slightly puffier fur, especially around its pouch and belly. Its fur is extra dense and has a velvety, fibrous quality. The inside of its pouch has special skin folds that resemble a loofah in texture.
Description
The Quokkatuff has evolved a biological system in its pouch that produces a soft, fibrous material known as tufflint. This cotton-like fiber is produced from modified sebaceous glands lining the inside of the pouch, which excrete a waxy protein that, when exposed to air and movement, fluffs into a dry, fibrous mass.
Why It Produces Tufflint
- Nesting: The tufflint is used to create insulating bedding for its joeys.
- Camouflage: They sometimes line nests or dens with tufflint, which can take on the scent of their environment, masking their presence from predators.
- Social Sharing: Quokkatuffs have been observed gifting tufflint to others — a possible bonding behavior.
Temperament
Gentle, social, and a bit cheeky. Quokkatuffs are curious and tend to form small, cooperative groups. They have a habit of hopping over to investigate backpacks and people.
Quokkatuffs sometimes sneeze out little puffs of excess tufflint. In their native ecosystem, these tufts are collected by local birds for lining their nests. It is also harvested by the Alfar Tribe who uses it to create beautiful, soft fabrics.