Don't Mess with our Quokkas

@JudyEv (339581)
Rockingham, Australia
March 20, 2017 1:25am CST
Rottnest Island, just off the coast of Western Australia, is famous for its colony of quokkas. These small kangaroo-like marsupials are friendly and relatively tame. This sometimes results in their ill-treatment by visitors to the island. The latest incident involved a New Zealand 37-year-old who allegedly threw a quokka off the wharf and into the sea. In his defence, Bevan Hames stated he 'placed' the quokka in the water as he knew quokkas were good simmers and wanted to demonstrate this to his companions. Hames is in Perth for a wedding and was due to fly to Bali to attend another wedding on Tuesday (tomorrow). He has been charged $2,000 over the incident. Quokkas were once voted as the happiest animals in the world and are often seen in 'selfies'. The are about the size of a domestic cat and are herbivorous and mostly nocturnal. Photo: By en:User:SeanMack (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons
27 people like this
26 responses
Anna
@LadyDuck (471354)
• Switzerland
20 Mar 17
Poor quokka, people can be so stupid, $2,000 is not enough, he had to spend a few days in jail.
7 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar 17
From time to time these incidences come up. They can be fined up to $5000 now. Two French tourists recently opted to go to jail rather than pay the fine.
4 people like this
besweet
@besweet (9859)
• Ireland
20 Mar 17
@JudyEv Going to jail in a foreign country sounds frightening! It is always better to comply with the rules of each country when we visit.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar 17
@besweet I hope they did the right thing. It's possible they now have a conviction against their name which could go against them in the future.
2 people like this
Amanda
@amandajay (23264)
• New Zealand
20 Mar 17
For harming animals they should be charged more also should be punished in jail
4 people like this
Erly Maglangit
@cacay1 (83437)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
20 Mar 17
That is right so others won't follow.
3 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar 17
The judge accepted his excuse that he knew quokkas could swim well.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar 17
@cacay1 They are really stupid so sometimes one takes footage of a friend kicking or hitting a quokka or whatever and then they put it up on FB. Really stupid behaviour.
1 person likes this
besweet
@besweet (9859)
• Ireland
20 Mar 17
I think that people should be punished for hurting animals. His excuse was not at all convincing! I hope he learns from this mistake, did the quokka live?
3 people like this
besweet
@besweet (9859)
• Ireland
21 Mar 17
@JudyEv It is surprising in a bad way, the fact that they post pictures or videos of their actions with pride. They should have an extra fine for that!
1 person likes this
Erly Maglangit
@cacay1 (83437)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
20 Mar 17
@JudyEv That is correct many are too stupid just to have something to publish in social media.
3 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar 17
The quokka didn't come to any harm which probably helped his case. They are catching people like this much more quickly now because of social media.
4 people like this
Judy Story
@jstory07 (139579)
• Roseburg, Oregon
20 Mar 17
You should never touch wild life that is just wrong.
4 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar 17
You are quite right. They should be left alone.
2 people like this
Morley Hunt
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
20 Mar 17
Tourists seem to do stupid things around the world. Leave the wildlife alone...
4 people like this
Erly Maglangit
@cacay1 (83437)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
20 Mar 17
@Morleyhunt , That is true, they want to experiment.
3 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar 17
@cacay1 @MorleyHunT Some tourists are really stupid. Some of our people have really offended people in Indonesia or Malaysia and have been jailed for their stupidity. In some cases they were very lucky to get away with just being jailed.
2 people like this
Erly Maglangit
@cacay1 (83437)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
20 Mar 17
@JudyEv Good for them being jailed it should be more months.
2 people like this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19186)
• London, England
20 Mar 17
What is with people that feel the need to set about an animal minding its own business. $2000 is not enough to set an example to stupid people
4 people like this
Erly Maglangit
@cacay1 (83437)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
20 Mar 17
@JudyEv They are harmless but why others abuse.
3 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar 17
It is a shame the quokkas are quite so friendly.
3 people like this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19186)
• London, England
20 Mar 17
@JudyEv There are some very dim people out there
1 person likes this
Heather Echola
@GardenGerty (160626)
• United States
20 Mar 17
Now when I have an animal alphabet I have a "Q". People are cruel and stupid. Poor quokka.
3 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar 17
The quokkas are easily grabbed. It's a shame they don't stay away from the public.
katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
20 Mar 17
I wish people would stop being mean to animals, period! It doesn't matter the type of animal or the reasons behind it.. leave them alone! I'm glad he was fined.. maybe someone should have thrown him off the wharf! Is the animal ok?
2 people like this
katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
21 Mar 17
@JudyEv I hate to hear things like that.. it's so heartbreaking! I'm glad this one wasn't hurt.. The social media idiots were caught as well I assume?
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Mar 17
There are always idiots around. The pair before this were kicking a quokka then put it on social media! The quokka wasn't hurt at all so that's good.
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Mar 17
@katsmeow1213 Yes so they got kicked off the island and went to court.
Always smiling
@allknowing (136099)
• India
20 Mar 17
Could they be kept as pets.?
3 people like this
Always smiling
@allknowing (136099)
• India
20 Mar 17
@JudyEv Just like our peacocks. Peacock is a national bird.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar 17
I'm sure they could as they get quite tame but it is illegal to even touch them.
2 people like this
rebelann1949
@rebelann (112780)
• El Paso, Texas
20 Mar 17
I'm glad the idiot was fined but it's too bad they didn't put him behind bars for at least 30 days. Poor little Quokka
2 people like this
rebelann1949
@rebelann (112780)
• El Paso, Texas
21 Mar 17
I hope so @JudyEv but I hope they ban him from ALL wildlife areas, he doesn't sound like a trustworthy type.
1 person likes this
rebelann1949
@rebelann (112780)
• El Paso, Texas
21 Mar 17
I'm on the side of the Quokka @JudyEv I hope those threats scare the hell out of him and maybe make him more aware of the importance of wildlife.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Mar 17
Hopefully it might make him think a bit harder next time he goes to do something stupid.
1 person likes this
Jekca
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
20 Mar 17
anyone that does something like that needs more than 2k fine, I want to see community service at min!
2 people like this
Jekca
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
21 Mar 17
@JudyEv I think he needs to go home and have animal welfare be sure if he has any animals he isnt horrible to them too
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Mar 17
I'm wondering if he'll get to the wedding in Bali as he's had his passport taken off him.
1 person likes this
PaintsOnSlate
@PainsOnSlate (21852)
• Canada
20 Mar 17
Some people just lose they mind when showing off, I am so glad he was fined a good lot!!
3 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar 17
He should have had more sense, that's for sure.
2 people like this
Erly Maglangit
@cacay1 (83437)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
20 Mar 17
Wow, so cute, can we hold it? I have never seen this kind of animal in our place.
3 people like this
Erly Maglangit
@cacay1 (83437)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
22 Mar 17
@JudyEv so cute , never had seen this cutie .
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar 17
They are cute little things, aren't they?
2 people like this
Jeanne Marie
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
21 Mar 17
Oh wow. Animals are often at the mercy of people. Sad.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Mar 17
They are friendly little creatures. It's a shame their trust is misplaced.
1 person likes this
Jeanne Marie
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
21 Mar 17
@JudyEv It certainly is.
1 person likes this
changjiangzhibin89
@changjiangzhibin89 (16759)
• China
20 Mar 17
The guy went so far as to maltreat quokkas that is friendly towards tourists.Imposed a $2,000 fine on him,it served him right .
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar 17
Yes, he deserved to be punished.
1 person likes this
Silvermist
@silvermist (19702)
• India
20 Mar 17
@JudyEv That man from New Zealand was a show off.He just wanted to impress the companions.He had no consideration for the Quokkas.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Mar 17
That's true - just showing off to his mates. But the pair caught a few months ago were kicking a quokka which is worse. Thankfully they got caught too because they were stupid enough to put it on FB.
Jabo
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
21 Mar 17
That's a hefty fine, and it will make him (and others) think twice before mistreating the quokkas.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Mar 17
The maximum is $5,000 so he got off lightly in a way.
1 person likes this
Richard L. Meister Jr.
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
20 Mar 17
That is a stupid thing to do. And, yes, wildlife should be left alone.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Mar 17
It is a stupid action indeed. Some just have to show off to their mates.
1 person likes this
Laurel (L_B)
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
20 Mar 17
By looking at the picture I would have never guessed them to be friendly and happy. They remind me of a huge rat. Ewwwww
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Mar 17
Rottnest comes from the Dutch for 'rats' nest'. They do look a bit like rats I guess.
1 person likes this
Sasha
@diosabella (4789)
•
20 Mar 17
Throwing and placing are two very different things. How can he just throw the cutest thing just like a ball? No common sense at all. Poor thing!
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339581)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar 17
It is difficult to understand how anyone can do this.
1 person likes this
Sasha
@diosabella (4789)
•
20 Mar 17
@JudyEv I don't know. The world changes everyday and in this situation for the worse... They look so cute. I want a selfie with them too even I don't do selfie that much.
1 person likes this