Maria Island is located just off the coast of Tasmania, and while it does not have any human inhabitants, it does have a healthy population of wombats.

Over the past few years, Maria Island has become a hot spot for tourists, who flock there to try and get selfies with the wombats who call the island home.

 

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Wombat selfie from yesterday and they believed my backpack had fresh grass !!! ——————— #selfie #animalselfie #wildlife #animal #wombat #outdoor #mariaisland #iloveaustralia #exploring_australia #ig_australia #australiagram #nikonaustralia #wow #wow_australia #wow_australia2018 #tasmania #tasmaniagram #friday #outdoorphotography #discovertasmania #tasmaniaparks #eastcoasttasmania #seeaustralia

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However, a new sign has now greeted tourists when they arrive on the island asking them to be respectful of the wildlife that lives there.

“I take this pledge to respect and protect the furred and feathered residents of Maria,” the sign reads. “I will remember you are wild and pledge to keep you this way.”

The pledge has a particular focus on the wombats.

“When you trundle past me I pledge I will not chase you with my selfie stick, or get too close to your babies,” it reads. “I will not surround you, or try and pick you up. I will make sure I don’t leave rubbish or food from my morning tea. I pledge to let you stay wild.”

 

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Say hello to our new friend Wilbur the wombat. It’s so fluffy I’m gonna die! ? : : #mariaisland #tassiestyle #discovertasmania #wilburthewombat #wombat #cutenessoverload #wildanimal #hessofluffy #scratchyscratch #seeaustralia #abcmyphoto #roadtrip #travelling #hatchbacktraveller #instavacation #holiday #getaway #travelaustralia #travelbug #wanderlust #love #happiness #livingourbestlife

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John Fitzgerald, the CEO of Tasmania Tourism, said that while no particular incident sparked the sign, he has noticed more people approaching animals for selfies in recent years.

“We’re asking people to respect the fact that they’re wild animals and respect them for what they are,” he said.

East Coast Tourism chief executive Ruth Dowty added that wildlife experts have stated that being close to humans may scare the wombats.

“The tourists are in love with the wombats; so in love that we need to give them some education about how to interact with them,” she said.

We’re glad that this sign has been put up, as the wombats who call Maria Island home deserve to be able to live there peacefully without being harassed for selfies from the Instagram crowd. The pledge concludes, “I vow to explore with a sense of responsibility, adventure and kindness. I will leave your wild island as I found it, and take home memories filled with beauty and my soul filled up with wonder.”