Marko the Rat

2017-05-29T23:17:54Z

212.38.166.23: updated timeline

[[File:MarkoTheRat.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Marko the Rat]]
[[File:Rattus-EF22.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Marko the Rat dressed as Rattus.]]
'''Marko the Rat''' (born September 28, 1971),<ref>[http://marko-the-rat.livejournal.com/profile Marko the Rat's profile] on [[LiveJournal]]. Retrieved January 1, 2009</ref> also known as '''Marko T. Rat''' and '''Haal''', is a [[fursuiter]] and [[plushophile]], and member of the [[Westhaven]] [[furry house|furry household]] in [[Wikipedia:Mount Gravatt|Mount Gravatt]], Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. He was the life partner of [[Ristin]]. On March 7, 2012, after living together for over seven years, the pair registered their [[Wikipedia:Civil union|civil partnership]] soon after it became legal in Queensland.<ref>[http://marko-the-rat.livejournal.com/256806.html "Civil partnership: Love, not politics"] - posting on Marko the Rat's LiveJournal. Dated March 7, 2012. Retrieved March 7, 2012</ref> The two seperated in May 2017.

==Fursona==
Marko's [[fursona]] is a [[rat (species)|rat]], of the [[species]] ''Rattus norvegicus'', and he felt an affinity to this species even before he identified himself as a [[furry]]. In [[real life]], Marko and Ristin kept two [[non-anthro]] pet rats,{{when}} Izza and Bo, but they are both since deceased.

Marko's first fursona name was '''Haal Serkonov''', but he mostly goes by the name of Marko. On [[Second Life]], he plays a grey rat [[character]] named '''Haal Ratner'''.

==Fursuits==
Marko owns two fursuits:
* '''Rattus''', a grey rat, the second version of which was completed by [[RooFur]] in 2016.
* '''Toyroo''', a beige [[kangaroo]], made by [[Pouchhopper]].

== History ==
Highlights of Marko the Rat's furry history include:
* 1995-2000: Co-publisher (along with [[Jagafeh]] and [[Sebkha]]) of [[South Fur Lands]], Australia's first furry [[fanzine]] (later published by [[Bernard Doove]]).
* 1996-1997: Co-tenant of [[Quarantine]], possibly{{fact}} Australia's first furry house (or commune as it was then called).
* 1996(?)-present: Web administrator and founder of [http://www.furry.org.au/haal/plush/ ''The Plush Palace''], Australia's first [[plushie]] website.
* 1999-present: Web administrator and founder of [http://www.furry.org.au/haal/kangaroos/ ''Roophilia''], a photographic resource on kangaroos and other native Australian animals.
* 2005-present: Co-owner (along with Ristin) of Westhaven, arguably{{clarify}} Australia's first wholly furry-owned and occupied house.
* 2009:
** Featured in the short documentary ''[[A Tail of Identity]]''.
** Appeared with [[Wolfie Rankin]] in ''Alter Ego'', a documentary about Second Life on [[w:Special_Broadcasting_Service|SBS]].
* 2015: Joined the committee of Furry Down Under Inc., the incorporated association that runs [[Furry Down Under]]. (He stepped down in late 2016 but continues to support the con unofficially.)

== Conventions and events ==
Marko has attended the following furry [[convention]]s and events (with milestones at each noted):
* [[Further Confusion 2007]]; [[Further Confusion 2008|2008]] (Marched at the front of the [[fursuit parade]] along with [[Raxmei]], holding a banner designed by [[Madius]] commemorating the Chinese Year of the Rat. Performed minor roles in two skits for [[Masquerade|Furry Night Live]].); 2010 (Hosted, along with [[Nicodemus (person)|Nicodemus]], the [[Rodent]] Panel.)
* [[MiDFur|MiDFur X (2008)]] (Debuted [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSx2_RdXk6k his own skit] for MiDFur's No Talent Show.); XII (2010); XIII (January 2012)
* [[Califur 5]] (2009, [[Gofur|Gophered]])
* [[Anthrocon 2009]]
* [[FurDU|Furry Down Under]] 2010-2016
* [[Eurofurence 17]] (2011); 22 (2016)
* [[Midwest FurFest]] 2012; 2014 (Co-hosted a rodent room party with [[Dittman Rat]]); 2015
* [[RivFur]] 2012-2013
* [[ConFurgence]] 2014-2017

Marko has also attended several [[furmeet]]s in the Brisbane area. He fursuits in public parks and considers himself to be a "fandom ambassador", explaining to mundanes that the fandom is not ''all'' about fursuit yiff, but encompasses many creative arts and acts of charity. He loves to engage with children, letting them ride on his back or bounce on his lap.

==Hobbies==
Although Roophilia has been replaced by a [[w:Web 2.0|web 2.0]] presence, he still enjoys dabbling in photography and often visits [[w:Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary|Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary]], where he has an annual pass.

Marko collects [[plush toy]]s and has accumulated quite a large collection. He is unable to sleep comfortably without plush. He is a full blown plushophile, though his main focus is cuddling them while he sleeps.

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
{{Contributor|Marko}}
* [http://www.furry.org.au/haal/ ''Haal's Sanctuary''] - a placeholder for Marko's other websites
* [http://marko-the-rat.livejournal.com/ ''The Rat's Nest - Meanderings of a zetetic packrat''] - Marko the Rat on [[LiveJournal]]
* [http://twitter.com/#!/marko_t_rat Marko the Rat] on [[Twitter]]
* [https://inkbunny.net/MarkoTheRat Marko the Rat] on [[Inkbunny]]
* [http://www.furaffinity.net/user/haal/‎ Marko the Rat] on [[Fur Affinity]]
* [http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=HaalSerkonov Marko the Rat] on [[YouTube]]

[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Fursuiters]]
[[Category:Rat characters]]
[[Category:Second Life characters]]
[[Category:Brisbane]]
[[Category:1971 births]]

Westhaven

2017-05-29T23:10:06Z

212.38.166.23: unspecified time

{{unref}}
[[Image:Westhaven front s.jpg|right|250px|Westhaven front]]
'''Westhaven''' is the residence of [[Marko the Rat]] and [[Ristin]]. It is located near [[Wikipedia:Mount Gravatt|Mount Gravatt]], [[Brisbane]], Queensland, Australia. It was originally purchased by [[Marko the Rat]], [[Ristin]] and [[Broc]] in 2005, but Broc has moved out{{when}} and sold his share to the other two due to work commitments.

To the best of the householders' knowledge it is the first wholly furry-owned and occupied house in Australia. The house name is derived from the street name and stuck due to a lack of suggestions for anything better. It was made official at the housewarming party (aka denwarming) on October 7, 2005.

Westhaven's denwarming was a great success, bringing together most of the furries in [[Brisbane]] at the time but it has not achieved the same level of success at being a focal point for furry socialising.

The current{{when}} residents are the owners [[Marko the Rat]] and [[Ristin]], and the tenants [[Kllauw]] and [[Wolfsky]].

{{Furry houses}}
{{location-stub}}
[[Category:Furry houses]]
[[Category:Queensland]]
[[Category:2005 births]]

WikiFur - User contributions [en]

Marko the Rat

Westhaven