Battle looms on future of ‘roo farming – RURAL: [1 Edition]
John Stapleton, Jane Mulkerrins. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 13 July 2001: 36.
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Abstract
Protecting indigenous animals was an outdated idea that damaged Australia’s ecology, he said. Farming native animals adapted to thelocal environment was far easier on the Australian landscape than farming cattle and sheep. He was speaking at a conservation biology conference in Sydney last week.
“It really makes a lot of sense for us in this country to produce our meat from the animals that belong here, rather than introduced animals like sheep and cattle that don’t belong here,” he said. “In the next five to 10 years I think many sheep and cattle producers will halve their numbers and devote resources to harvesting kangaroos.”
“Kangaroo populations should be managed as a resource in a manner that balances biodiversity, conservation and grazing production objectives,” he said. “It is sustainable. We as farmers have been saying for a long time that kangaroos are a resource. You don’t have to drench them or use chemicals, they are running in their natural environment. Kangaroo farming could well be better for the country because we would be farming the natural resource on the country they have lived on for million years.
Full Text
KANGAROO farming could well outstrip sheep and cattle farming in the future, an industry leader has claimed.
John Kelly, development manager of the Kangaroo Industries Association, said Australians needed to break free from the “Skippy syndrome” and realise the full potential of harvesting kangaroos.
Protecting indigenous animals was an outdated idea that damaged Australia’s ecology, he said. Farming native animals adapted to thelocal environment was far easier on the Australian landscape than farming cattle and sheep. He was speaking at a conservation biology conference in Sydney last week.
About 10 per cent of the country’s 30 million kangaroos are harvested each year for their meat and skin, in an industry that turns over $200 million per annum. Beginning in the 1960s, the industry provides employment for around 4000 people in rural towns.
Mr Kelly said the cuddly nature of Australian animals and the mythology built up around them had erected psychological barriers to harvesting wildlife.
“It really makes a lot of sense for us in this country to produce our meat from the animals that belong here, rather than introduced animals like sheep and cattle that don’t belong here,” he said. “In the next five to 10 years I think many sheep and cattle producers will halve their numbers and devote resources to harvesting kangaroos.”
The dream of establishing kangaroo farms will not be without controversy. Animal welfare groups are outraged by the Sydney conference’s support for the trade and are determined to halt the industry.
President of the Australian Wildlife Protection Council Maryland Wilson said: “It is absolutely shocking that veterinary groups could sponsor a conference that so demeans our national animal.”
The council is also lobbying against the NSW Government and the Australian Museum, both of which support kangaroo harvesting.
Juliet Gellatley, director of animal charity Viva! and the woman credited with stopping kangaroo exports to the UK, will arrive in Sydney this month to head the joint European-Australian attack on the industry.
She has vowed to chain herself to the desk of Australian Museum director Professor Michael Archer, if necessary.
Animal welfare groups also express concern about the impact kangaroo harvesting will have on the future of the species.
Catherine Rogers, vice-president of the World League for the Protection of Animals, said: “We know very little about the genetics of kangaroos. We can’t have any clear idea of what the result will be of killing off the biggest, strongest males.”
But many farmers are supportive. NSW Farmers Western Division Council chairman Graham Morphett applauded the notion of kangaroo farming. He said animal numbers had increased on many properties because farmers had created a lot more watering points.
“Kangaroo populations should be managed as a resource in a manner that balances biodiversity, conservation and grazing production objectives,” he said. “It is sustainable. We as farmers have been saying for a long time that kangaroos are a resource. You don’t have to drench them or use chemicals, they are running in their natural environment. Kangaroo farming could well be better for the country because we would be farming the natural resource on the country they have lived on for million years.
“It would be exciting to see them take over from sheep and cattle.”
But the National Farmers Federation has criticised legislation, known as the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, which is passing through federal parliament. The NFF says the farming industry has not been consulted on numerous amendments to the legislation, which they say could block commercialisation of native flora and fauna.
Sunrise industries such as wattle seed and kangaroo harvesting could be stopped without any proper scientific analysis.
NFF vice-president Wayne Cornish said his federation represented 120,000 farming properties covering 70 per cent of the Australianland mass. He said the failure of the Government to consult with them was particularly annoying.