Australia: the worrying proliferation of kangaroos

In Australia, it is a scene which, in recent years, has multiplied: dozens of kangaroos, gathered on a golf course, or in the middle of town. The country is facing an explosion in the number of these animals. From 27 million in 2010, they are now estimated at nearly 50 million. From a national icon, the marsupial has become for many an invasive species that must be regulated at all costs.

Kangaroo hunting

In the hinterland, herds of kangaroos eat grass intended for cattle. “The quality of their food is lower, so each animal is less productive”, explains sheep farmer William Ogg. The reproduction of marsupials was favored by the large number of irrigations created after the great droughts. So the Australian government allows kangaroo hunting. Hunting feeds a market of 2 million euros: that of kangaroo meat, sold in supermarkets in the form of burgers or steaks.