'A crime!' The simple mistake which could get you a $150 fine

Tourists are being told to 'be more responsible'.

Quokkas are often referred to as ‘the happiest animal on earth’, known for their friendly smiles and love of selfies.

But, a content creator on TikTok has been slammed by commenters for a simple act which could have unknowingly cost her a hefty fine.

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These quokkas were caught red-handed. Image: TikTok / @thechaoticnomad.

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Who knew quokkas were thieves?

Ellie, @thechaoticnomad on TikTok, is a British creator who recently moved to Australia, and has been sharing her travels across the country online.

Earlier this month, she began a road trip around Western Australia, complete with a stop in at Rottnest Island - home to its most famous resident, the quokka.

“We get to Rottnest Island, and we were so excited,” she said in one of her videos.

“It’s one of the few places in the world you can see quokkas. It’s got the largest population of them.”

In the TikTok, she and her friends picked up pastries at a local bakery, after which she says a ‘crime’ was committed.

“I’ve got more than one [pastry] in my bag, which I put under the table for safekeeping, or so I wrongly thought,” she said.

“The next thing you know, I feel a weight on my foot, I look down, and there’s a quokka sat on my foot. And, he’s not alone - half the quokka population is under our table, and they’re rummaging through my bag! Furry little mitt, pulling out my pastries, tucking in!”

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‘Be more responsible’

Though the video was posted innocently, people were quick to jump in the comments, saying that the quokkas should not be fed.

“Be more responsible with your bags the quokkas can get really sick,” one person said.

“That will make the quokka sick,” added another.

In response, Ellie clarified that she and her friends were sitting in a ‘no quokka zone’, with other commenters also sharing similar, light-hearted stories of quokkas stealing their food.

“A quokka stole my son’s sausage roll out of his hands on school camp. He is 17 and 5’10” but he couldn’t stop laughing,” said one commenter.

“My family would go over in our boat and anchor up stern end on the shore,” another said.

“One night we were asleep on the boat and got woken up by a sound. A quokka had got onboard and was trying to raid the snacks.”

However, the video revealed a very real truth about how important it is to keep quokkas safe - and the penalties for not doing so.

According to Rottnest Island Authority, anyone who deliberately interferes with or feeds wildlife on Rottnest Island can be fined on the spot, with fines up to $10 000, and situations like these garnering fines of $150.

Although Ellie didn't feed the quokkas directly, a spokesperson told Yahoo that "visitors are encouraged to ensure food is securely stored and out of reach" at all times and that "feeding and touching quokkas is not permitted for the welfare of the animals".

"Ranger patrols are undertaken regularly throughout each day to enforce the Rottnest Island Regulations 1988, inclusive of feeding wildlife," they said.

Originally published as 'A crime!' The simple mistake which could get you a $150 fine