THE KANGAROO– FALSELY MALIGNED BY TRADITION By David Nicholls Former commercial Kangaroo shooter Consecutive Australian Federal and State governments have failed to consult with the Australian people in the process of classing the shot at species of Kangaroo as a resource, they have failed to inform the Australian people of the implications of that decision and failed to utilise the best possible science and common sense in forming the “opinion” that commercial kangaroo shooting is, necessary, sustainable and does not infringe on acceptable and accepted community standards of animal welfare. Kangaroo shooting for commercial purposes is widespread, relentless and driven by financial interest. The Environment Australia publication, The Commercial Harvesting of Kangaroos in Australia by Pople & Grigg (1999), supposedly a justification of this practise, is nothing of the sort. Nowhere in its 134 pages does it state that kangaroos are a significant and widespread problem other than a perceived one to the grazing community. It does however, on many occasions point out that the unsustainable use of land by sheep and cattle producers is a real problem. Figures show conclusively that the “cull” is not necessary on the grounds of large numbers interfering with grazing business. Figures show that the grazing community is driven by tradition rather than fact in vilifying the kangaroo as some kind of wrongdoer. For kangaroo “culling” to be necessary, scientific method requires that significant, widespread and continual damage to rangelands and infrastructure is actually happening. IT IS NOT and no such inkling of evidence exists and because of the proportionally smaller number of kangaroos than stock, for it to exist, would mean that kangaroos would have to be far greater destroyers per capita than introduced stock. The kangaroo has lived on this continent for tens of thousands of years and has developed characteristics to suit the environment. It requires less water, has soft feet, is on average smaller than sheep, seeks shade in the sun, has no need to grow wool or fat, is efficient in travelling and not limited by artificial boundaries but rather follows its food requirements, which are in most instances, different to that of the introduced animals. It is of some note that in the publication The Commercial Harvesting of Kangaroos in Australia, there are over 40 references to the perceived “pest” status of kangaroos. Kangaroos have never been in widespread pest proportions and they are not now
Posted on: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 07:37:40 +0000
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