A Teen’s Viewpoint on Kangaroo Management

Andi, who regularly accompanies her father on kangaroo hunts near Narrogin, Western Australia, believes that managing kangaroo populations through legal shooting is beneficial. Despite potential controversy, Andi remains steadfast in her conviction.”We’re helping the animals out, as well as providing for farmers and the environment,” she says, highlighting the perceived dual benefit of population control.

The Science Behind the Debate

Extensive scientific research as the 1990s indicates that certain kangaroo species have become so numerous that they pose a threat to the land’s biodiversity due to overgrazing. This overpopulation leads to increased competition for resources,particularly during dry periods,resulting in widespread starvation.

Wildlife scientist Dr. George Wilson emphasizes the necessity of regular culls to safeguard vegetation, other native animals, and the welfare of the kangaroos themselves. Drawing on decades of experience in kangaroo ecology, Dr. Wilson notes that human-induced changes have allowed some species to exceed their environment’s carrying capacity.

Some people just don’t understand the impact kangaroos are having on the country.

Dr. Wilson points to Canberra Nature Park as an example, stating, “Such as, their numbers built up and up, and they were starting to damage the actual value of the Canberra Nature Park itself.” He further explains that when resources become scarce, kangaroo populations experience notable declines, especially during droughts.

From 2017 to 2021, an estimated 13 million kangaroos perished, primarily due to starvation, according to data compiled by Dr. Wilson at the australian National University. He warns that a similar event is unavoidable.

The numbers [of kangaroos] are going up really rapidly at the moment, and we’re headed for another big crash at the next drought.

Dr. Wilson is among a group of ecologists advocating for urgent reforms to restore ecological balance.Their proposals include strengthening the commercial harvesting of kangaroos, treating them as a “lasting resource,” and establishing clear population thresholds for different regions.

Animal Welfare Concerns and Alternative views

While the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to animals (RSPCA) acknowledges the need for proactive kangaroo management, some activist groups vehemently oppose culling, labeling it as profit-driven and “barbaric.”

andi has written to Canberra politicians to raise awareness about the issue and advocate for addressing kangaroo overpopulation.

Kangaroo Population Dynamics: Boom and Bust

Kangaroos are notoriously difficult to count due to their vast ranges. however, accurate population estimates are crucial for monitoring their welfare and setting sustainable culling quotas.Aerial and ground surveys are conducted annually in New South wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania, where commercial harvesting occurs.

Government estimates, based on these surveys and statistical modeling, indicate that there are over 32 million kangaroos in Australia. The harvesting quota for 2023 was nearly 4.8 million, but the actual intake was approximately 1.2 million, representing just over 3.7% of the national population.

Wildlife scientists and state governments generally agree that kangaroo populations experience “boom-and-bust” cycles. During favorable conditions, kangaroos breed prolifically. However, during droughts, breeding ceases, and many kangaroos die from starvation.

Human Intervention’s Role

Associate Professor Graeme Coulson, a leading expert in kangaroo ecology from the University of Melbourne, attributes the “boom-and-bust” cycle to human-induced changes in australia’s landscape. He argues that “letting nature take its course” is not a viable option.

Taking our hands off is just abdicating obligation as we’ve created this situation.

Coulson cites factors such as fewer dingoes and the increased availability of pasture as contributing to the altered landscape. “We’ve improved the quality of crops so they’re more nutritious, and we’ve provided artificial watering points almost everywhere across the continent.”

The Core of the Conflict: Conservation vs. Animal Welfare

The heart of the debate lies in differing perspectives on kangaroo population control. Some ecologists argue that introduced species and land management practices have created an environment where kangaroo populations can become unsustainable,leading to habitat degradation and starvation. However, animal welfare groups vehemently oppose culling, viewing it as a cruel and unneeded slaughter of an animal that has evolved over 25 million years.

Alyssa Wormald, president of the Victorian Kangaroo Alliance, challenges the notion of “to many” kangaroos. The Victorian kangaroo alliance emerged from two prosperous campaigns to prevent the shooting of kangaroo mobs on private lands.

We value kangaroo lives, and respect their inherent right to live freely on this land which has been their home for many millions of years.

Government Oversight and Scientific Scrutiny

A 2021 NSW parliamentary inquiry examined the kangaroo management practices in the state. While the inquiry found that the NSW government’s methodology lacked clarity, it stopped short of making a definitive judgment on the population estimates. Instead, the inquiry recommended an autonomous panel of ecologists review the survey methods and scientific evidence used in the modeling.

In 2023, the independant panel concluded that the NSW kangaroo management programme was vrey thorough overall.

The Central conflict: Agriculture vs. Conservation

At the heart of the kangaroo management debate lies the conflict between agricultural interests and conservation efforts.Farmers often view kangaroos as pests that compete with livestock for resources and damage crops, leading to calls for population control measures, including commercial culling. Conservationists,however,argue that kangaroos are an integral part of the Australian ecosystem and that their populations should be managed in a way that preserves biodiversity.

Andi, a participant in the Heywire competition, articulated the concerns of some farmers in a letter to Canberra politicians. She stated that “limiting commercial culling will lead to overgrazing that threatens our biodiversity and farmers.” Andi further argued that restricting commercial culling would lead to an increase in non-commercial culling by landholders, which she believes would be less humane. “Kangaroos will suffer as they will not be killed humanely,” she wrote.

Relocation Efforts: A Mixed Bag

Relocation has been explored as a potential solution to managing kangaroo populations. However, evidence suggests that this approach is not always successful. Assoc. Prof. Coulson noted the challenges associated with relocating kangaroos. “We then transported them to very nice reserves that had other kangaroos that looked really good to us.” Though, the results were disappointing. “Half of [those in Victoria] died in the first year, and the other half moved,” he said.

Is there a non-lethal alternative?

Researchers have been exploring non-lethal methods of kangaroo population control for years, but challenges remain in scaling these methods to larger areas.

Assoc. Prof. coulson notes that fertility treatments are most effective on mobs in smaller areas, such as the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). He explains the intensive nature of the process: “We have to catch each female, implant her with a contraceptive, put tags in her ears so we certainly know she’s been treated, and then release her.”

“It’s been quite successful but it’s very intensive work and you simply can’t scale that up.”

Assoc. Prof. Coulson

Assoc. Prof. Coulson adds that the ACT has also experimented with injecting the fertility drug through darts, but this method has only allowed for minimal scaling up.

Translocation experiments in Victoria and Western Australia have also faced difficulties, with high mortality rates reported due to the kangaroos’ unfamiliarity with their new environments.

The debate surrounding kangaroo management continues, with animal welfare concerns and the search for viable non-lethal alternatives at the forefront.

the Ethics of Humane Culling

For some, professional culling is considered more humane than allowing kangaroos to suffer from starvation. Andi, a shooter who has practiced since the age of six, exemplifies this perspective. The RSPCA also describes the practice as “relatively humane, compared to other methods” when performed by a “licensed and competent shooter.”

Andi draws a distinction between commercial and non-commercial shooters. She criticizes the practice of “drop-and-rot,” where kangaroos are shot on private property and left to waste. “They’re known for not shooting them right,” she says.

“When we shoot, we make sure every roo has every opportunity to get away.”

Andi emphasizes the importance of ethical shooting practices, stating, “That means we can’t corner them, or chase them. Than it has to be a head shot for the most humane kill.”

The National Code of practice for the humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Commercial Purposes requires shooters to pass an accuracy test, ensuring the animal experiences an “instantaneous loss of consciousness.” The test involves shooting five rounds into a 75mm circle from 100 meters away, under spotlight conditions at night.

Waste Not, Want Not

andi helps her father tag every kangaroo he shoots, adhering to regulations that track commercial kills. She then processes the carcasses, using bone choppers to remove tails and hind legs before the bodies are sent to a pet food facility. Andi emphasizes the importance of utilizing the entire animal, stating, “We turn what’s left over into mince for ourselves, and use the tails for stews — which our neighbours like to steal off us.”