As Australia’s kangaroo numbers rise, record cull renews calls for other control methods
CANBERRA — Australia has a problem with the very creature that is its official national symbol: The kangaroo. Endemic to Australia, they live across the country, from north to south, and from east to west. Australia has four main kangaroo species: The red kangaroo (Osphranter rufus), the largest of all species, mainly found in the […]
Australia is grappling with a burgeoning kangaroo population that threatens its environment, prompting a record cull in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and reigniting debates over alternative control measures. The ACT, home to approximately 122,000 eastern grey kangaroos, has one of the highest kangaroo densities in the country.
To put this into perspective, the territory, covering about 2,358 square kilometers (910 square miles), is slightly smaller than Luxembourg itself. The cull, totaling 2,358 square kilometers (910 square miles), aims to mitigate the damage caused by overgrazing and soil degradation. Australia is home to four main kangaroo species: the red kangaroo, the western grey kangaroo, the eastern grey kangaroo, and the antilopine kangaroo.
With population estimates ranging from 30 million to 50 million, the sheer number of kangaroos has become a conservation concern.
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