Two French tourists have been evicted from Rottnest Island, a popular holiday spot 20km off the coast of Perth, Western Australia, for allegedly attempting to light a quokka on fire.

WA Police spokeswoman Ros Weatherall said the men, aged 18 and 24, allegedly lit a stream of aerosol on fire and aimed the jet of flame at a quokka on April 3.

Weatherall said the animal was allegedly singed during the incident.

It’s understood the quokka was not badly injured and managed to run off. It has not received veterinary treatment.

The men have been charged with animal cruelty and bailed to appear in Fremantle magistrates court on Friday.

Police allegedly seized video evidence of the incident, but that footage has not been released.

Quokkas used to be common on mainland Australia but are now listed as vulnerable. The species survived because of the large population on Rottnest island – named “Rattennest” by a Dutch explorer who mistook quokkas for large rats – and are unafraid of people, regularly wandering up to them in campgrounds and begging for food.

In February five quokkas on the island were found dead and stuffed upside-down into plastic tree protectors. A sixth was found dead nearby.

Weatherall said police were still investigating those killings, and urged anyone with information to come forward.