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Kangaroo Industry - Australia's Bloody Shame
 After the Statue of Liberty, the kangaroo is the most recognisable national symbol in the world, however, the public are unaware of what we are doing to our beloved Australian icon.
The Truth Behind the Euphemisms
Within the kangaroo industry there are two main terms that dictate the parameters of cruelty; 'cull', and 'commercial kill'. The term 'cull' refers to the killing off of certain numbers of kangaroos in order to 'sustain' an ecosystem or an 'over-populated' species. Culls are given permission to go ahead with special permits for certain 'problem' areas. They are short term, precise killings. The 'commercial kills' are those that are given quotas by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and other such agencies. The commercial kill quota for each year is not supposed to be over 20% of the population of any given area, however kangaroo populations in Australia have been dropping drastically and there is absolutely no economic or agricultural need (as the word 'cull' implies) for their slaughter (WLPA, 2007). In 2003 kangaroo populations were depleted by 50-75% (WLPA, 2007). In 1993 kangaroo populations in the Lower Darling were said to be over 1 million, whereas in 2005 these same populations were estimated at little over 100,000; indicating a 90% drop. The kill quota in 2005 set by the National Parks and Wildlife Service was 41% of that population. This is not ecologically sustainable wildlife management. During droughts populations plummet and 70% of joeys die during their first year (WLPA, 2007). This is not a species in need of periodic depletion, but rather regeneration and protection. The commercial kangaroo industry, however, remains unrestricted and unscrutinised.
What Are the Numbers?
The Government set the "kill quota" for kangaroo meat and skin at 3.8 million in 2007. The kangaroo industry has also been pressuring the NSW State Government to open up areas that have historically been kangaroo-protected land due to their low kangaroo populations, and are now killing kangaroos in what were once no-shoot zones (Mudgee is one example).
The killing of kangaroos in Australia is the largest killing of wildlife on the planet!!
How Are They Killed?
Kangaroos, similar to the inherent cruelty of aerial shooting (aiming at animals from planes or helicopters) can suffer immensely through a slow and painful death. Shooters aim for larger kangaroos (usually now only 2 years of age; kangaroos can live up to 25 years) and are supposed to aim for the skull, though as the hunting occurs at night and kangaroos are fast, unpredictable animals, the kangaroo can be shot many times before it actually falls to the ground. It can also be shot and escape, wounded and suffering, to die from bullet wounds, starvation, or predation.
 If there are joeys in pouch, industry requires them to be have their heads chopped off with an axe, or be bludgeoned to death. This is usually done with the back of a rifle or a blunt object such as a piece of wood or metal, however recent footage depicted hunters throwing and whacking live joeys against the side of trucks and jumping on their heads. Even if the joey is fortunate to escape this cruel fate, they are almost sure to die of starvation or predation. This killing procedure is written into the Code of Practice for the Humane Killing of Kangaroos. This Code of Practice has no solution for the inconvenient issue of large numbers of joey deaths. The number of females within a pack is critical to population survival, though the majority of kangaroos now killed are females, which means for every dead kangaroo, there's usually two, and joeys are not counted as part of the commercial kill.
 Why Is This Happening?
The commercial kangaroo industry is the most monopolised animal industry in Australia, and makes over $200 million a year (WLPA, 2007). This is a very profitable industry as the vast majority of kangaroo meat is exported to European nations to be mixed with other meats in frozen sausages or pies where their presence is unknown. Though kangaroo meat is a growing industry for Australian restaurants, most of the kangaroos we kill end up overseas or in pet food. This cruel industry is devastating kangaroo populations and Australian ecosystems, all for the bulk of the product to be exported and all for the profit to be fed right back into the commercial industry.
That's terrible! What Can I Do?
- DON'T buy kangaroo meat for your family or pets.
- DON'T buy kangaroo skins or any kangaroo by-products.
- DON'T patronise stores who sell kangaroo products and express your disgust to restaurants who serve kangaroo flesh.
- WRITE to politicians! Every letter you write is taken seriously and is viewed as indicative of the thousands of people who did not bother to write. For a sample letter, visit the ACT section
If you come across any restaurant selling kangaroo meat, be it in Australia or overseas, please let us know. If you know of somewhere that has stopped selling kangaroo meat because of the cruelty involved, please also let us know. Send an email telling those involved in the Kangaroo Industry of your disgust. For a list of known overseas companies and businesses involved in the trade, check out the Student Revolution page, under Kangaroo Action.
If you would like a copy of the Kangaroo campaign DVD to view and/or to post with your letter, please contact the office and we will send one out.
Also check out these fantastic sites dedicated to stopping this disgraceful practice.
Sources:
- WLPA: The World League for Protection of Animals, "Kangaroos: Don't Buy Into The Slaughter", published 2007, NSW, Australia.
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