CONNECT WITH US
Tech

Tech

Jerk Shoves Vape in Quokka’s Face for ‘Disgusting’ Photo, Gets $200 Fine

Gizmodo - Tech logo

Published on

Add as a preferred source on Google
Jerk Shoves Vape in Quokka’s Face for ‘Disgusting’ Photo, Gets $200 Fine

Western Australian police issued a $200 fine to a 29-year-old man they said had taken a photo of a quokka with a vape in its mouth, 7News reported.

Police said that the alleged crime happened on Rottnest Island on November 2, 2026, according to 7News, and that the perpetrator was issued a $200 fine called a “Rottnest Island Authority Infringement” after the photo attracted police attention via the internet. Quokkas, a species of tiny marsupial best known for their perpetually smiling appearance and large population on the island, are both very friendly to humans and protected by Australian federal and state law.

Touching or feeding quokkas is illegal, and consequences can range from a $200 fine and immediate removal from Rottnest Island to violations of conservation laws that can carry fines of up to $10,000, according to 7News. “Quokka selfies” with the friendly animals are a popular genre of content. Animal welfare experts have said that as long as no feeding or touching is involved and the quokka appears calm, there’s probably no problem with a quick photo from a distance, although it’s very difficult to know whether the animal could be stressed.

“If a quokka is comfortable, not showing any signs of distress and approaching the person, then taking a photograph is probably fine,” Curtin University mammal expert Christine Cooper told the BBC in 2018. “What we don’t want to see is people harassing them and chasing them for a picture.”

It’s not clear whether the individual fined attempted to force the quokka to inhale vapor or the animal was just biting it.


Source link
Related Topics:Tech

Disclaimer

We strive to uphold the highest ethical standards in all of our reporting and coverage. We TheMorningPulse.fyi want to be transparent with our readers about any potential conflicts of interest that may arise in our work. It's possible that some of the investors we feature may have connections to other businesses, including competitors or companies we write about. However, we want to assure our readers that this will not have any impact on the integrity or impartiality of our reporting. We are committed to delivering accurate, unbiased news and information to our audience, and we will continue to uphold our ethics and principles in all of our work. Thank you for your trust and support.