By Tim Binnall
An Australian man drew deserved condemnation as well as a hefty fine for snapping a photo in which he 'offered' his vape device to an adorable quokka. According to a local media report, the unnamed ne'er-do-well took the picture earlier this month at Rottnest Island, which is home to a massive colony of the cuddly-looking creatures. An understandably popular tourist destination, the location draws countless visitors each year, thanks in large part to the remarkably friendly little wallabies that have long since overcome their fear of people. As such, it should come as no surprise that when the highly questionable photo appeared on social media last week, outrage soon followed.
Calling the image "disgusting," Western Australia Premier Roger Cook declared that "any attempt to put quokkas at risk or harm them should be met with consequences." Fortunately, the young man who took the photo was foolish enough to post it online, and his quest for clout allowed authorities to easily determine his identity. While it is uncertain if the quokka seen in the image made use of the device or simply gave it some exploratory nibbles, the man was issued a $200 fine for illegally interfering with the native species. Sadly, this is not the first time that a misguided individual has made headlines for such a thoughtless stunt, as an Australian teen sparked similar disgust back in 2021 when she filmed a video wherein she tricked one of the unsuspecting wallabies into vaping.