“But, first let me take a selfie!” These famous song lyrics can definitely apply to today’s news topic. Recently the internet blew up with a cuddly creature known as the Quokka. The Quokka is an animal known to inhabit Australia and belongs to the marsupial family (like kangaroos and wallabies). Born with very adorable looks, the Quokka had made its way into the human world as the first “selfie animal.” That’s right! Apparently, the Quokka is completely fearless of people and takes wonderful pictures with tourists who visit Australia. Furthermore, it can take selfies and even “smile” at the camera. Images on the internet are available to see these cute pictures. The best part is that the Quokka is completely harmless to humans and is even considered vulnerable. Unfortunately, there are some people who are willing to take advantage of this factor.
Sadly, recent events unveiled that two French tourists had abused the poor animal. As stated in NewsChannel 4, the two men visiting Australia “sprayed an aerosol can and lit” the creature on fire. A video of this exists online where this action is clearly shown, accompanied with the two men’s sadistic laughter in the background. After uploading the video, the two men received harsh backlash from people who had viewed it. This incident alerted the authorities and the two men were arrested. Although they claimed that no harm was intended, the court fined them with $4,000 for animal cruelty. Punishment well deserved, the two were proven guilty and have hopefully learned their lesson.
Although, the Quokka was indeed burned it did not receive any severe injuries, and is currently recovering. This story can serve as a reminder to have respect towards all living creatures. Such irrational behavior is wrong, especially if it is targeted against something so small. The Quokka is a common mammal, but if people continue treating it that way, it may one day become extinct. People should embrace its trust to us, and handle it with care. This message applies for everything around us. So let’s cherish all things in our lives and mark my words, they’ll be around for a long time. And with Earth Day here, now is the perfect time to start caring about the wildlife. Go outside and clean the world, help its creatures, and be sure to enjoy the wonderful beauty of nature. With that said, next time you visit Australia be sure to stop by one of the Quokkas and take a lovely selfie!
By: Ekaterina Zelenin
Sadly, recent events unveiled that two French tourists had abused the poor animal. As stated in NewsChannel 4, the two men visiting Australia “sprayed an aerosol can and lit” the creature on fire. A video of this exists online where this action is clearly shown, accompanied with the two men’s sadistic laughter in the background. After uploading the video, the two men received harsh backlash from people who had viewed it. This incident alerted the authorities and the two men were arrested. Although they claimed that no harm was intended, the court fined them with $4,000 for animal cruelty. Punishment well deserved, the two were proven guilty and have hopefully learned their lesson.
Although, the Quokka was indeed burned it did not receive any severe injuries, and is currently recovering. This story can serve as a reminder to have respect towards all living creatures. Such irrational behavior is wrong, especially if it is targeted against something so small. The Quokka is a common mammal, but if people continue treating it that way, it may one day become extinct. People should embrace its trust to us, and handle it with care. This message applies for everything around us. So let’s cherish all things in our lives and mark my words, they’ll be around for a long time. And with Earth Day here, now is the perfect time to start caring about the wildlife. Go outside and clean the world, help its creatures, and be sure to enjoy the wonderful beauty of nature. With that said, next time you visit Australia be sure to stop by one of the Quokkas and take a lovely selfie!
By: Ekaterina Zelenin