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The dingo is the kangaroo's new predator. Few other animals aside from humans and dingoes kill and eat Australia's many types of kangaroos.
"People think of kangaroos being hit by cars," she says, "and lying on dusty roads in the baking sun." Animal rights activists have also stirred up anxiety about killing female kangaroos that might have joeys (baby kangaroos) in their pouches. So more than 70% of the meat is exported, mainly to Russia.
In fact, kangaroo meat is widely available in most Australian supermarkets along with emu, crocodile, camel and other “game meats”. Kangaroo meat had been consumed by indigenous Australians for centuries, but it was only in the last few decades that it's been legalized for human consumption across Australia.
Butcher shops in Australia usually sell beef, chicken, lamb, and increasingly kangaroo, offal, and sometimes fish.
Chicken meat most popular meat in Australian diet, new trends for other meats.
Kangaroo meat was legalised for human consumption in South Australia in 1980. In New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria it could only be sold as pet food until 1993. Kangaroo was once limited in availability, although consumption in Australia is becoming more widespread.
But there are more than twice as many kangaroos as people in Australia, according to official government figures, and many Aussies consider them pests. Landholding farmers, called graziers, say that the country's estimated 50 million kangaroos damage their crops and compete with livestock for scarce resources.
In Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia, kangaroo is considered 'game meat' and therefore can also be permitted as 'meat' but it is required that the kangaroo be culled and processed in South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales or Tasmania, in accordance with the relevant State's ...
Kangaroo is a lean meat with less than 2% fat, making it a healthier red meat option. It is also high in protein, essential B vitamins, minerals such as zinc, iron and omega 3 fats and omega 6 fatty acids. Compared to beef, kangaroo contains double the amount of iron and triple that of chicken and pork.
But eating our national animal isn't unique to Australia. Setting aside debates on wildlife conservation, we're just one of the nearly 200 countries that eat their national icons. We've even doubled up and added emu to our menus too.
In 1971 California banned the importation of kangaroo products, based on concerns about declining populations in Australian landscapes.
Hunted for meat and for sport, and used as a motif in the decorative arts, the kangaroo was finally recognised as an official symbol of Australia when it was included on the nation's coat of arms in 1908.
Kangaroos played an important role in the survival of Australia's indigenous peoples. The animal was hunted for tens of thousands of years, for both meat and skins, and when Europeans arrived in the late 18th century, they also depended on its meat for survival.
Kangaroos are on Australia's coat of arms and the tail of the national airline, but every year state authorities allow licensed hunters to kill millions of them.
Kangaroos compete for water and damage fencing and fodder crops. Culling of kangaroos in rural areas for mitigating damage to farm assets, has been common practice for many years, and continues to be practiced throughout Australia today, including in the ACT.
While it is widely-adored symbol in Australia, having too many kangaroos has been known to cause problems. In Victoria, for example, the state government says that the animals can damage farmland, property and habitats, while also posing a risk to human safety.
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.
Koalas, like the platypus and echidna, are a protected native Australian animal, and harming or killing them could bring you a hefty fine or time in jail. So no, you can't eat koalas.
Kangaroo is a gamey meat, and some foodies even prefer it to lamb and steak for its tenderness and taste. It tends to be a stronger flavour than beef or lamb, and even though it is a very lean meat, it's not tough like venison can sometimes be.
Due to either the air miles or the expense of rearing kangaroo locally, it is a little more expensive than beef steak. Much depends on where you buy it from but you can expect to pay a little more for it than you would a sirloin or rump.
Roast lamb rules as Australia's national dish.
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world (36%) followed by poultry (33%), beef (24%), and goats/sheep (5%).
Rockhampton is commonly known and referred to as the Beef Capital of Australia. But what does that mean, and how does our region earn that title? Here we explore all the 'beefed up' experiences you can enjoy when visiting our region, and confirm once and for all why Rockhampton is Australia's rightful Beef Capital.