A tourist’s photo of a quokka eating a discarded cigarette butt has highlighted Australia’s huge litter problem.
Fafa Liao was visiting Rottnest Island, a popular tourist destination in Western Australia off the coast of Perth, when she captured this sad moment on July 16.
The Taiwanese woman watched as the island’s famous marsupial began to eat the cigarette butt.
Ms Liao was shocked and took a photo of the animal, explaining that she was ‘heartbroken’ by the sight, especially as the quokka clearly had a baby in its pouch.
Ms Liao called for regular clean-ups of the quokkas’ habitat and urged authorities to raise awareness of the dangers litter can pose to the marsupials.
“As a concerned visitor, I feel it is important that this issue is addressed urgently to protect both the quokkas and their habitat,” Ms Liao told PerthNow.
Ms Liao also urged authorities to impose stricter penalties for littering, the current fine being $200.
A spokesperson for the Rottnest Island Authority stressed that the welfare of the “iconic quokkas” is the highest priority.
Taiwanese tourist Fafa Liao was visiting Rottnest Island when she saw a quokka eating a discarded cigarette butt (photo)
“The welfare of all wildlife, including the iconic quokkas, is a top priority for Rottnest Island Authority,” the spokesperson said.
‘We urge all visitors to do their part to protect the island by disposing of their waste responsibly.’
Signs are posted throughout the island warning tourists to limit their interactions with the little smiling wallabies.
There are approximately 10,000 quokkas living on Rottnest Island, making this marsupial a vulnerable species.
Rottnest Island Authority regularly cleans up litter and sweeps the streets in the resort’s public and recreational areas.
Information on proper waste disposal and protection of native wildlife is also available on the island, on visitor maps and online.