Rottnest Island is a Class A Reserve, meaning that all the plants and animals are protected.
When you experience the island by foot, bike or bus there are ways you can respect the land and its unique natural environment. Please don’t touch or feed the wildlife, leave the island’s flora where you found it, and contact the rangers prior to arrival should you need to bring a guide, assistance, or companion animal for medical reasons.
It is important to let all animals on the island forage for their own food and water. Feeding wildlife can cause illness and lead to aggressive behaviour, and it’s important they don’t learn to rely on humans.
For their safety and yours, don’t touch any of the animals on the island. While quokkas are certainly curious, touching and petting them is not permitted. Touching quokkas (or any animal) can make them sick, spread disease, and even cause mothers to abandon their young if they carry an unfamiliar scent.
If you accidentally come into contact with an animal, wash the area of contact with soap and water as soon as possible to minimise the risk of infection.
Putting your rubbish and food scraps in the bin is important to keep the island beautiful and the wildlife safe. Island animals can become aggressive or sick from eating human food or ingesting plastics and other harmful materials.
To avoid accidents with quokkas, and other wildlife such as lizards, please take care while riding and keep your eyes on the road. Stick to the paths and roads to protect the native flora and fauna. If you see a sick or injured animal or animals being mistreated, please report it immediately to the Rottnest Island rangers on (+61 8) 9372 9788.
Australia remains the only continent free from the highly contagious strain of H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza (bird flu), while the virus continues to spread globally, affecting more than 560 bird species and over 100 mammalian species. Australia is closely monitoring these outbreaks and carrying out strong surveillance, testing and preparedness measures to ensure any suspected cases are detected early and responded to quickly.
Wadjemup / Rottnest Island is a critical location for this monitoring, due to the combined factors of:
How you can help
Bird flu is a notifiable animal disease which means if you suspect it, you must report it even if you’re unsure.
Following these actions can protect birdlife and prevent the spread of the disease:
Avoid sick and dead birds;
Record by taking photos and recording the location; and,
Report signs of sick or dead birds to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Learn more about how you can assist with surveillance at wa.gov.au.
Remember, anyone who deliberately interferes with (including feeding) wildlife on Rottnest Island will be fined on the spot under the Rottnest Island Regulations 1988 and potentially prosecuted under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and the Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2018 with fines up to $10,000. Acts of animal cruelty may result in fines up to $300,000 and 5 years imprisonment under the Animal Welfare Act 2002.
You can show your support for Rottnest Island’s famous furry inhabitants by purchasing one of Rottnest Foundation’s adoption kits that fund conservation initiatives on the island.
Your kit comes with a cuddly, life-sized soft quokka toy, tote bag, quokka fact sheet and an official adoption certificate.
