Slaughter of kangaroos slammed by animal rights groups

HUNDREDS of kangaroos are set to be slaughtered — and an animal welfare group says the cull will be ‘cruel, distressing and unfounded’.

A permit has been issued to cull kangaroos. Picture: Dean Martin

A KANGAROO cull in Victoria has made an animal welfare group hopping mad.

The Department of Environment has issued a permit to shoot an unknown number of eastern greys on a property at Cape Schanck.

Activists interrupt planned cull of 400 kangaroos at vacant land in Epping

The department has confirmed a kill authorisation has been granted, but would not provide details on numbers or dates.

The Mornington Peninsula Leader believes at least 250 kangaroos have been slated for slaughter.

Department spokeswoman Tori McLennon said the permit was issued because the kangaroos were causing an agricultural farm in the region “serious economic loss”.

“The owner of the property had tried other means to keep the kangaroos off the property, including kangaroo fencing, however, these were not effective,” Ms McLennon said.

The Australian Society for Kangaroos has spoken out against the cull. Picture: Mal Fairclough

“Census data shows the kangaroo population in this area has increased rapidly, and the mob’s grazing activities have impacted a number of properties in the region.

“DELWP does not make decisions such as these lightly.”

Australian Society for Kangaroos president Nikki Sutterby said the permit was not warranted.

“The situation is very distressing, cruel and the cull is without foundation,” Ms Sutterby said.

“There is absolutely no supervision or monitoring of these large culls, so anything could happen to those poor animals.

“As time goes on, more and more kangaroos are being killed; the numbers involved are astounding.”

State Government data shows thousands of Authority to Control Wildlife permits, which allow applicants to “scare, trap, move or destroy” around 200,000 animals, are issued in Victoria each year.

Every month at least 200 certificates are granted to control or kill more than 10,000 kangaroos; last year a total of 2690 permits for 144,774 were issued for eastern greys.

Recently, wildlife activists managed to stop a 400-kangaroo cull in Epping, with that kill order now before the courts.

The land owner did not return Leader calls.

Originally published as Slaughter of kangaroos slammed by animal rights groups