Back in 2009 there were around 27 million kangaroos in Australia and now it is estimated there are 42.7 million, according to the Commonwealth Government. It sounds like a good problem to have but they are competing for resources with our farmers who have made arid country very habitable for herbivores like kangaroos.
The kangaroo is one of Australia's cultural icons, but these peaceful animals are hunted by those who want to use their flesh and skin or by farmers who want the pasture where they're found in order to graze forcibly bred introduced species such as cattle and sheep.
Kangaroos, posterchildren for the Australian outback, are considered by some to be pests in their homeland. In fact, most tourists have experienced the availability of kangaroo meat and leather in parts of Australia.
Areas with large kangaroo populations can experience issues such as: traffic accidents. damage to pasture, crops, gardens and fences caused by kangaroos. negative impact on vulnerable native vegetation or areas undergoing revegetation due to kangaroo grazing.
The research shows that large numbers of kangaroos can reduce the occurrence of native grasses, which livestock graze on and can also affect the diversity and cover of shrubs and the quality of habitat for various native species including beetles, reptiles, birds and bandicoots.
The government and wildlife experts say some species of kangaroos are so plentiful they need to be regularly culled to protect the land, other native species, and the animals themselves from starving during times of drought.
Geography: The kangaroo is endemic to Australia. The species is also found in Tasmania and nearby islands. Other marsupials can be found in some parts of Asia and the Americas, though the continent of Australia has by far the most, both in terms of species and population numbers.
All Victorian kangaroo species are protected under the Wildlife Act. It is an offence to hunt, take or destroy protected wildlife unless in accordance with a licence or authorisation issued under the Wildlife Act.
In the absence of a predator level, large herbivores like eastern grey kangaroos can maintain the ground layer vegetation in a permanently eaten down condition. Ground layer vegetation is also home for small animals such as grassland earless dragons, striped legless lizards and ground feeding birds.
Under this Act, it is illegal to 'harm' (defined as kill, injure or capture) a kangaroo or 'attempt to harm' (including hunt, pursue or use anything for the purpose of harming) a kangaroo without a licence. Read the Living with kangaroos brochure to learn more about kangaroos and how to avoid conflict with them.
According to estimates, there are at least twice as many kangaroos in Australia as inhabitants – which would be a total of 50 million animals. While the country is certainly big enough, Australians' relationship with their national animal is one of the love-hate variety.
Often misperceived as roaming through the streets in Australia, kangaroos are usually found in small towns and rural areas, but rarely found in major cities (except at dawn in some golf courses and outlying suburbs). To see kangaroos, spend time in the countryside, especially during the early morning hours.
The killing is a disgrace – cruel and entirely profit – motivated. The kangaroo is one of Australia's original inhabitants, deserving both respect and compassion.” Among this country's unique indigenous wildlife, nothing shouts “Australia” to the world more than the image of a kangaroo.
Populations of kangaroos in some areas can reach very high densities because of access to good quality food, permanent water, and a lack of predators. In over-populated areas, kangaroos can cause damage to farmland, property and habitat, pose a risk to human safety, and can suffer starvation from over-grazing.
The most common threats to Kangaroos are due to human activities, including hunting, and conflict with vehicles. Other threats are environmental changes, climate change, similar to the threats against most wildlife!
“Providing water and dingo control to support livestock industries and food production has given rise to these abundant kangaroo populations, to the unfortunate detriment of pastoral industries.
#3 You need to rely mainly on 'unpalatable' plants.
Plants with oily or fragrant foliage. Plants with high oil content (including some which have fragrant foliage) include species of Eremophila, Prostanthera, Westringia, Eriostemon, and Myoporum appear almost totally unpalatable to 'roos.
To deter kangaroos try home- made sonic deterrents or install motion activated security lights which may discourage night time grazing. Keep water features inside your fenced area. Hardy groundcover native grevilleas with tough foliage can be used to create colourful mounded gardens which do not attract kangaroos.
Kangaroos decimate crops, compete with livestock for pasture and cause havoc on the roads, sometimes breaking down fences allowing livestock to escape onto highways. They tangle wires, rendering electric fences useless. Their damage bill is easily in the thousands.
A kangaroo would win a fight against a human being.
In the wild, a kangaroo will try to grasp their prey and then tear into it with the claws on its feet. This will inflict devastating wounds on a human being or even disembowel them. Without weapons and armor, humans are fragile to these wild animals.
If the animal has been injured during a road collision, keep yourself safe and ensure you are not in danger of being hit by traffic.” If able to do so safely, check if the roo is alive; if it is dead, then check its pouch. Call the relevant wildlife rescue service or police.
If you come across a kangaroo, brake to avoid a collision – don't swerve. If you're in an accident prioritise safety, call 000 if needed, then contact your insurer. If you hit a kangaroo, contact a wildlife rescue organisation or the local police.
Kangaroos and wallabies are marsupials that belong to a small group of animals called macropods. They are only found naturally in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
No, Kangaroos are not to be found in the New Zealand wild. Let us explain. New Zealand is a close neighbouring nation to Australia – the real native home of Kangaroos. However, unlike in Australia, Kangaroos are not native to New Zealand, despite numerous claims by tourists and even locals of Kangaroo sightings.