Echidna ’like an elephant’
A CURRUMBIN man charged with animal cruelty after posing for selfies with an echidna stolen from the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has walked free from court.
Jarrod Ronald Simmons faced charges of animal cruelty and receiving tainted property after “Piggie” the echidna was allegedly stolen from the sanctuary and brought to his house.
The echidna made national headlines when found to have gone missing on August 1. Sanctuary staff and an echidna expert gave evidence at Simmons’ trial at the Southport Magistrates Court yesterday.
Outside the court, Simmons said he was relieved the ordeal was over and joked about the photograph at the centre of the case.
“If someone brings an elephant to your backyard do you take a photo with it, or do you let it go?” he said.
“It has been nothing but drama and I am glad it is over.”
The photo of three men holding Piggie was shown to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary handler Alice Roser and echidna expert Dr Peggy Rismiller.
Mrs Roser said Piggie appeared to be attempting to curl in a ball, a defence mechanism. Dr Rismiller said the echidna’s foot was splayed, an indication she was trying to escape.
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary’s senior vet and wildlife hospital general manager Michael Pyne told the court Piggie was not herself after the ordeal, but displayed no physical injuries.
Magistrate McLennan said she was not convinced the incident constituted animal cruelty. She said the defendant was not accused of stealing the echidna and it could not be proved beyond reasonable doubt what happened to the animal while it was away from the sanctuary.
Simmons was found “not guilty” on one charge of animal cruelty and received 80 hours of community service for the charge of receiving tainted property.
Two other men charged in relation to the alleged theft of Piggie are yet to face trial.