ROTTNEST Island officials in WA are on the hunt for a missing quokka that likely escaped via a garbage barge.

Residents of Canning Vale, a suburb of Perth, are being urged to keep an eye out for the mischievous animal, who made his way to the Regional Resource Recovery Centre located in the area.

The Rottnest Island Authority (RIA) was contacted after one employee at the RRRC showed another a picture of what he believed to be a large rat, with the latter employee luckily recognising it for the endangered creature, reports the Pedestrian.

The Department of Parks and Wildlife is on the hunt for the animal and the RIA is offering a free trip to Rottnest Island as a reward for anyone that finds it.

The RIA has said, at this stage, it’s unclear whether the quokka left of his own free will or whether it was placed in a bin.