How Eating Kangaroo Meat Could Save the Outback!
As wrong as it may feel for Australians to consider eating their national emblem, the kangaroo, it may provide significant environmental benefits.
A paper titled ‘Professional kangaroo population control leads to better animal welfare, conservation outcomes and avoids waste.’ [1] investigated the benefits of sustainable farming of kangaroos.
Despite the 40 million kangaroos in Australia being beloved and iconic creatures, for farmers, they are considered pests [1]. Kangaroos graze on farmland, reducing food availability for livestock, thus significantly impacting their quality and production [1]. Therefore, supporting this industry may help kangaroos from being perceived as pests to valuable assets [1].
How are Kangaroos Harvested?
· Harvested for private and commercial use at night using spotlights [1] (strong, bright lights).
· Instantly killed by professional and licensed shooters with a single headshot [1].
· Kangaroo meat, skin, and pet food are exported and sold domestically [1].
Their yearly population determines the number of macropods (kangaroos and wallabies) harvested annually [1]. In 2019, the harvesting quota for kangaroo farmers was 15% of the Grey Kangaroo population and 20% for Red Kangaroo [1]. This ensures that the population is maintained and is sustainable for future generations [1]. In addition, hunting kangaroos in national parks is prohibited [1].
However, recent quotas have not been met because of minimal profits [1], as an average kangaroo weighing 23 kg is worth AUD 13.80 [1], meaning the whole kangaroo population is worth $550 million [1]. This is fractional to the prices of cattle ($800) and sheep ($100) [1]. If kangaroos were worth the same as feral goats ($70) [1], the population would be worth $2.8 billion, ten times greater than the goat population [1]. A key reason why prices are falling is that skins became worthless in California after a ban in 2016 [1].
Why Should We Eat Kangaroo?
Health Benefits of Eating Kangaroo?
· Lower fat and cholesterol content than lean beef and lamb [1].
· More protein than beef, pork, lamb, and chicken [1].
· Higher iron content than pork, lamb, and chicken [1].
· This allows kangaroo meat to provide the health benefits of white meat while maintaining its red meat status [1].
Environmental Benefits
· Kangaroos have a lower environmental impact than other livestock due to their soft feet not impacting the soil, unlike the hard hoofs of livestock [1]. This prevents erosion and improves soil health, soil water consumption, and plant growth, which minimises the severity of floods and droughts.
· It also reduces carbon emissions as the healthier soil and plants can store carbon effectively, and cattle can produce 600 times more and sheep 50 times more methane than kangaroos [1] (Methane is a strong greenhouse gas).
· In addition, kangaroos use fewer resources and water [1].
Animal Welfare
· Due to the damage to farmland, farmers have increasingly obtained permits to shoot kangaroos without using them commercially [1], thus causing a waste of life.
· Increases in non-licensed killings of kangaroos have led to inhumane killings and metal contamination in carcasses, leading to welfare issues and waste [1].
· Collaborations with the Sporting Shooters Association have occurred to address this problem [1]; however, specific preventions were not stated.
· Fences implemented to remove predators such as wild dogs have increased kangaroo populations, thus increasing grazing impacts [1]. As well as disable kangaroo and other wildlife movements, thereby reducing biodiversity and causing stress [1].
· Placement of these fences is poor as kangaroos still manage to reach roads, contributing significantly to NRMA claims associated with animals (costing $15.3 million in vehicle damage in 2006 [1], which does not consider the cost of injury or death [1].
· Large populations can cause more disease and suffering through droughts due to the scarcity of resources [1].
Ethical Reasons for Eating Kangaroo
· The ethical benefits of kangaroos would be that they would be wild-harvested, AKA, free-range, and on a natural diet [1].
How will the Kangaroo Industry Grow?
· Set target populations in particular regions instead of quotas [1].
· If this cannot be achieved, increase the quota to 30% for better population management, improved welfare effects, and economic benefits [1].
· Utilising tradeable permits and leases [1], as seen in the fishing industry, adds value to the population and encourages those who own these permits to ensure the maintenance and sustainability of the population [1].
· Correctly and effectively adding exclusion fences could improve the control and management of these kangaroo populations [1] without causing stress or reducing road incidents.
· Improve the quality and description of products, develop infrastructure, monitor the value chain, and market through community brand relations within communities to increase reputation and kangaroo products reaching stores [1].
· Highlight the historical relationship between the natural land and the indigenous people when they used to harvest kangaroos.
Something as simple as becoming a kangatarian [1] can significantly benefit the well-being and health of Australia’s iconic kangaroo and precious natural habitat.
References