Industry blueprint: Kangaroo
This blueprint serves as a resource for those interested in the kangaroo industry and provides essential fast facts alongside the fundamental themes highlighted in the...
39 pages
Published: 28 Feb 2002
Author(s): Kelly, John
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The kangaroo industry has always had a PR problem. It harvests an icon species and doing so presents an emotional challenge for many people opposed to killing animals in general. There is a vocal minority who vigorously oppose the industry and take every opportunity to attack it in domestic and international press, and in its market place.
In addition the Australian community, especially the urban community, hold a Eurocentric notion of food. For many ‘food’ is product which Europeans eat – beef, lamb, pasta, truffles etc. Eating the native products of this land, especially its wildlife, presents a paradigm challenge.
Finally for most people in Sydney, Melbourne, New York or London ALL wildlife is endangered. For many the concept of harvesting wildlife does not fit into their concept of ‘conservation’, never mind that the commercially harvested species of kangaroos had an estimate 2002 population of 56.8 million and controlling their number is an environmental necessity.