5 Million Kangaroos Are Killed Every Year. Let’s Stop The Slaughter!
Recently the commercially hunted species of kangaroos (Red, Eastern Grey , Western Grey and Wallaroos) were nominated in NSW for listing under the Threatened Species Legislation. WLPA supported this listing by writing to the Premier The Hon Barry O’Farrell and outlining our concerns by further compiling a 200 page submission based in part from the evidence gathered by the Bathurst Ecologist. Our submission was prepared for the NSW Scientific Committee in an attempt to have the entire commercial killing industry reviewed and overhauled.
In essence we outlined our concern for these reasons:
- In the last 10 years kangaroo populations have declined by 90% in several zones across commercial ‘harvest’ regions.
- Kangaroos only increase by 3-8% each year in good seasons .
- Every 30 years kangaroo populations average about 27 million nationally.
- Government agencies are claiming that kangaroo populations increase by as much as 300% annually, claiming that populations increase during drought.
- Collected data shows alarming downward trends. Less than 2% of kangaroo populations are remaining in some 'harvest zones'.
- On average an Eastern Grey kangaroo (doe) only replaces herself once in her lifetime.
Unfortunately, many myths are successfully perpetuated by the kangaroo industry and are repeated constantly by an uncritical media. With Russia now deciding to reconsider importing kangaroo products and China gearing up to pursue the same markets, our kangaroos may be facing the beginning of the end.
We need your support. Please contact the following:
The Hon Barry O’Farrell
Parliament House
Macquarie St
Sydney 2000
premier@nsw.gov.au
or
The Minister of Environment
The Hon Robyn Parker
34 Church St
Maitland 2320