Married at First Sight 2022 star Al Perkins has come under fire after touching and feeding a quokka whilst taking a selfie on Rottnest Island despite being explicitly told not to.
The Sydney chippie, 27, was visiting the WA tourist hotspot on December 29 and shared a number of posts to social media of his encounter with the island’s most famous resident.
Prior to this, the Love Island 2022 star also posted a photo of one of the island’s many signs that read: “I am a wild animal, so please don’t touch me”.
However, when taking his quokka selfie, the Channel Nine star, who was recently accused of predatory behaviour, also grabbed the animal’s back.
It appeared Al had placed his hand on the marsupial’s back so it wouldn’t run away whilst he was trying to get his photo.
Why can’t you touch quokkas?
The quokka is a vulnerable species and is restricted mainly to Rottnest Island. Loss and degradation of its habitat and predation by foxes and feral cats are the causes of the quokka’s decline.
According to Rottnest Island’s official website, touching quokkas is strictly off-limits to visitors as it can “make them sick, spread disease, and even cause mothers to abandon their young if they carry an unfamiliar scent”.
“Simply observe the quokkas as they go about their natural movements,” it reads.
There are signs placed around the island, warning visitors that touching and feeding the species is prohibited. If found guilty, offenders can face a fine of up to $300.
Al Perkins received multiple warnings not to touch the quokkas before selfie
The reality star appeared to be well aware of the animal’s grave threat of extinction, as he referred to the quokka as an “endangered species” in one of his clips.
“Just touched down at Rottnest Island, and apparently there’s all these little fury animals called quokkas which only live in this island, nowhere else in the world, so let’s go find them [sic],” he told his followers.
In a subsequent slide, Al grabbed the quokka and said: “Here we are, guys, the endangered species of Rottnest Island, this is insane.”
Fans slam Al Perkins for touching and feeding quokka whilst taking selfie
His followers were quick to flood the post’s comments section to call out his “disrespectful” behaviour“, letting him know that it is “strictly against the rules” to touch the quokkas.
“You post the sign on your story that says do NOT touch them, then you post this? Are you taking the piss? Respect our native fauna,” one person said.
“Hundreds of signs on the island saying DO NOT touch the quokkas. Even videos and announcements on the ferry but still ignored.. 😔” another wrote. “Seriously, no respect. Don’t touch the quokkas. Can you not read?”
“He’s lucky a local didn’t see him. We’re very protective of our quokkas and very unimpressed with d*ckheads who mess with them!” a local wrote.
“Thinks he is funny photographing the sign and then feeding and touching it. Apparently, you aren’t meant to feed them either,” a third added.
Amid the backlash, others called Al out for thinking his influencer status puts him above everyone else.
“Two slides, one after the other! Can he not read, or does he just not give a shit about our wildlife? Maybe the rules don’t apply to him because he’s an “influencer”, one person penned.
“You’re literally never supposed to touch a quokka. What makes you some sort of king d*ck that you think you can? Humans spread diseases so easily,” another said.
Fans report Al Perkins to the Rottnest Island Ranger Servies
While one commenter even said: “I’ve reported you to the Rottnest Island ranger services. Enjoy the fine.”
However, Al, who is currently dating teenage influencer Hope Kelesis, didn’t seem to be too phased by the criticism. The reality star doubled down on his behaviour in the comments section, referring to it as “hilarious”.
Al isn’t the first influencer to snap a pic with the popular marsupial. Many Aussie stars and international celebs, including Chris Hemsworth, Margot Robbie, and Roger Federer, have added a quokka selfie to their collection.
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