Australian Tennis Star Nick Kyrgios Says He Went Vegan For The Animals

Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has revealed that he is vegan because he 'doesn't believe in eating animals.' 

The Canberra-born player revealed the news in his recent article for AthletesVoice.

Kyrgios wrote an emotional post about the devastating bushfires in Australia - which killed billions of wild and farmed animals. 

He wrote that seeing animals suffering reinforces his decision of choosing a vegan diet. 

"I've been passionate about animal welfare for some time now. I don't eat meat or dairy anymore. That's not for my health, I just don't believe in eating animals,' he wrote.

"I tried a vegan diet a couple of years ago, but with all the travel I do, it was hard to stick to it. Since then, I've managed to make it work, and I've been vegetarian for quite a while.

"Seeing the footage of these animals suffering with the fires only reinforces why I've chosen this diet. When I see these terrible photos, I can't comprehend eating meat."

The athlete is supporting WIRES - the Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service and he is encouraging others to do so.

WIRES are the largest wildlife rescue organisation in Australia, and they help injured, displaced and distressed animals. The tennis player has shared a fundraiser on his Facebook page. 

"If the fires continue to burn like they have, you can only imagine the statistics we'll see at the end of the summer. We've already lost half a billion animals, with almost two months of summer still ahead of us," he added.

"With their homes on fire, these animals have nowhere to go. I saw a photo of a koala sitting on a patch of unburnt grass recently, with flames all around it. It was completely helpless.

"The saddest part is that many threatened species have been caught up in this tragedy. For some, we could be seeing their last days before they are gone forever."