Due to the ongoing and prolonged severity of the drought, wildlife
species are under pressure with many birds, mammals and other
animals perishing right now. The large kangaroo species especially
are under extreme stress as this year's national quota (6.9
million) is the highest ever on record. Commercial exploitation
compounds the drought crisis for those animals that are hunted
continuously for their meat and skin. Instead of a moratorium
during drought, the commercial industry continues the killing,
regardless of conservation considerations.
The organizations
listed below, call upon the NSW Environment Minister, the Hon.Bob
Debus to impose an immediate moratorium on kangaroo killing,
at least until the drought ceases, in order that macropod populations
can be re-assessed and protected from over exploitation during
the drought period. Unfortunately, quotas are set prospectively
whilst scientific data (justifying the kill quotas) is collated
retrospectively.
Even if
moral considerations are put aside, it is clear from recent
scientific evidence that the red kangaroo could be in real trouble.
In July 2001, a scientific conference was held at the University
of NSW (UNSW) entitled "Recent Advances in the Scientific
Knowledge of Kangaroos" At this conference the following
important facts were revealed:
1.
The average age of red kangaroos in Western NSW is only two
to four years despite the fact that red kangaroos can live up
to twenty five years or more in the wild. (Alternative management
strategies for harvested kangaroos in the Murray-Darling Basin,
Hacker, R.B. & McLeod, S.R., NSW Agriculture)
2.
The average weight is now only eighteen kilos, although adult
males can weigh up to 85 kilos. (Ibid, Dr.Steven McLeod, NSW
Agriculture. 1999)
3.
Scientific evidence also suggests that red kangaroo populations
cannot increase by more than 6-8% a year on average during good
times. However, the killing quota is currently set at three
times that rate, ie at approx. 21% of the "assessed"
population. (The Facts : survivorship of Red Kangaroo young
to weaning and its effect on population dynamics, Amanda Bilton,
UNSW).
The farmers'
myth about plague populations of kangaroos competing for feed
with sheep and cattle has been dispelled. A 4 year study has
shown that kangaroos compete minimally with stock for feed in
most years. (McLeod,S.R. 1999)¹ Where competition occurs at
very low pasture biomasses, kangaroos suffer more than stock
since stock have been bred over 10,000 years to survive under
almost any conditions until they exhaust all food supplies regardless
of the ecological consequences. Adverse competitive pressure
on red kangaroo populations was predicted by Dr.G. Caughley
(Caughley, G.1987)²
Sheep will
grow wool and produce lambs until they starve to death in drought.
In contrast red kangaroos and euros cease breeding as green
grass declines, juveniles die as drought intensifies since they
cannot gain an adequate energy intake on poor pastures, and
old animals also frequently succumb to drought. This natural
regulation of populations in drought has been established in
the scientific literature since the 1950s! (see Frith, H.J &
Calaby JH. 1969. Kangaroos. FW Cheshire, Sydney)
During drought
when available biomass is reduced, the estimation of population
numbers may be overly optimistic because kangaroos will already
have stopped breeding, be declining in numbers but at the same
time appear more visible because they congregate in areas where
vegetation still remains.
Macropod
populations have been living in harmony with the land for over
fifteen million years. The commercial exploitation of kangaroos
commenced 25 years ago and our scientific knowledge relating
to kangaroos exists for only 20 years. The more science reveals,
the more we are seeing that past assumptions were wrong. The
genetic strength of red kangaroos (and possibly greys as well)
may be weakened by escalating commercial pressure. History has
shown that sudden crashes of wildlife populations have over
taken other species once populous, to the brink of extinction.
If the NSW
Government is serious about the "Precautionary Principle"
it needs to introduce a moratorium during this environmental
crisis. The late Dr.Graeme Caughley, who was the pioneer of
kangaroo survey methodology and its correction factors, always
stated that a moratorium on the commercial industry should be
enacted during drought. It seems no one is choosing to acknowledge
the key person responsible for much of today's information on
the species.
