Two men charged after quokka kicked into wall on Rottnest Island
Two men have been charged after vision of a man kicking a quokka on Rottnest Island emerged on Monday.
In sickening footage uploaded to social media, one of the men can be heard laughing as a second man kicks the animal into a wall at the popular Perth tourist spot.
The vision was filmed in the front courtyard of a Rottnest house around 6pm on Sunday.
It shows one of the men chase the quokka around a tree and try to kick the animal at least twice, before the contact is made.
According to police, two men were arrested as they tried to leave the island.
It is not known if the men, aged 20 and 21, had attended the Castaway music festival which was held on the island on Sunday.
The duo have been charged with cruelty to animals and face up to five years in jail or a $50,000 fine if convicted.
Both were released on bail to appear in court next month.
The kicked quokka has not been located and it remains unclear if it was injured in the attack.
It’s not the first time the quokkas have been targeted.
Last year a man was charged after he was filmed appearing to give a quokka alcohol from a can.
Two French tourists were jailed for their act of cruelty against a quokka more than a year ago.
The 18 and 24-year-olds sparked international outrage when they used a lighter and a deodorant can to attack the beloved local attraction.
An 18-year-old was kicked off the island in late 2015 after he admitted kicking a quokka as a police officer drove past.
Today's top news stories - February 14
