Evening Lecture and Social
Gathering – 4th Sep 2024
MACROPOD AWARENESS FOR LAND MANAGERS
On the evening of September 4th this year Helen Round (East Trentham Wildlife Shelter/5 Freedoms Animal rescue) gave a 40-minute presentation on the shelter s work in rescuing and rehabilitating kangaroos and preparing them for a life back in the wild. The talk was held at the Pig and Whistle - East Trentham and approximately 20 members of the Blackwood and Trentham Landcare groups attended. Attendees enjoyed some great pub-grub” while Helen debunked a number of well-worn myths about our Eastern Grey kangaroos. Valuable information about the benefits of the Eastern Greys to the natural and farmed landscape and how land managers can better live in harmony with the animals was provided.
Common Myths
Myth #1 – Kangaroos “breed like rabbits”.
In fact, they are being killed more quickly than they recover from hunting, accident, dog attack and disease.
Kangaroos breed at the same slow rate as koalas. They have a 73% juvenile mortality rate. In ideal conditions, a population can only increase by up to 8 to 11% p.a although it is not often that ideal conditions prevail. The chance of a female having another female that survives to breeding age is only 1 in 8. Published population numbers are likely to be unreliable (e.g. the Victorian Government counts concluded that during the recent bushfires/floods kangaroo numbers increased by 40%!); the 30-year average across Australia is thought to be about 27 million animals.
Road injuries are one of the biggest killers of kangaroos. There is an effectively 10 km wide zone either side of a road where adverse effects are felt by wildlife. Kangaroos have limited home range which they rarely leave. More development simply confines them more and more and road deaths eventually lead to the local extinction of a mob. Even a minor dog bite typically leads to serious bacterial infection - kangaroos don’t maintain white blood cells for very long so even small bites are fatal.
Myth # 2 – The more open paddocks the more kangaroos.
Eastern Grey Kangaroos are actually forest dwellers, hence their grey colouring. They come out into open paddocks to graze only. Dams do not attract animals/increase numbers – the animals simply follow water ways and shade to graze. These areas are where the grass quality is better and sweeter. Contrary to this myth, maintaining trees and kangaroo populations enhances the quality of grasses.
Myth # 3 – There are more kangaroos now than when settlers arrived.
Six years after the introduction of cattle on colonisation, large kangaroo numbers and expansive grasslands disappeared and soil quality deteriorated. The clearing of fields and introduction of cattle and sheep has reduced the quality of grazing. Unlike kangaroos cattle and sheep hooves do damage to the pasture. Additionally, the dung of cattle is high in urea. Kangaroo dung is low in urea and can be used directly on garden beds without composting. The kangaroo foot is ‘soft’ on pasture and the lead claw helps to aerate the soil, allowing water infiltration and enhanced seed germination.
Artificially inflated numbers have been used to facilitate expansion of the kangaroo meat industry in Victoria after large scale over-harvesting in WA and Qld. A recent Parliamentary Inquiry into commercial kangaroo shooting was provided with evidence that up to 40% of the animals targeted by commercial hunters are ‘miss-shots’ leading to serious injury and slow death. The butchery and transportation practices used by commercial shooters are unhygienic and dangerous to human and pet health. Contamination from bacteria and tapeworm cysts is common and because kangaroo meat is served raw to pets/rare to humans, many pathogens and parasites are not eliminated by typical food preparation.
Myth # 4 – Kangaroos eat all the grass.
A single cow eats as much as that of 45 to 60 kangaroos (Gordon Grigg, 2002), and a NSW Department Primary Indusriy’s study of semi arid grasslands concluded that kangaroos only compete with stock during extreme drought conditions. Recent data from the University of NSW shows that kangaroos exert only 2 to 5% of the total grazing pressure on pastures. Kangaroos have both upper and lower incisors and eat the ‘tips’ of the grasses (like a lawn mower) whereas cattle/sheep do substantial damage by ripping grass with their top teeth and tongue.
Kangaroos gentle grazing, in conjunction with their low urea dung and aeration effects of their feet enhance native grassland rehabilitation.
A common introduced grass called Phalaris aquatica (Weeds-of-Central-Victoria-WEB-June- 2024 (1).pdf), is mildly toxic to cattle/sheep and counteracted by cobalt/salt licks. However, it is highly neurotoxic to kangaroos, leading to ‘the staggers’ and a slow painful death. It is a distinctive grass easily identified – and should be removed from managed pastures.
Myth # 5 – Kangaroos wreck fences.
Fences are much more dangerous to kangaroos. Barbed wire and multiple strands of wire regularly trap kangaroos by the legs. Electric fences are a better option than barbed wire. Can a line of trees/bushes serve to delineate a property boundary just as well?
Kangaroos tend to use the same pathways – so installation of a wildlife access gate can be very effective. Designs are available that are cheap and easy to construct (The use of suitable fences and gates can reduce kangaroo damage to crops, pasture and fences by either excluding the animals or by allowing them to pass through fences without causing damage (wildlifefriendlyfencing.org).
How can we help?
Offer a safe haven on your property – discourage shooting.
Ask your local council to forbid shooting/reduce local speed limits on rods and install
signage.
Avoid kangaroo products like dog food – its not a suitable diet for dogs due to very low fat content.
If you have dogs, don’t let them roam freely where they might encounter/attack kangaroos – build a dog-proof enclosure for a run.
Remove barbed wire.
Volunteer at local shelters.
Follow the Victorian Kangaroo Alliance on Social media (HOME (vickangas.org))
Drive slowly at dawn/dusk – drive to the conditions and note where animals regularly cross the roads
Stop and assist injured animals.
What to do if you encounter an injured kangaroo?
Call Wildlife Victoria on 03 8400 7300
An apparently friendly kangaroo is not a good thing – it is more likely an indication of
illness/injury.
Solo kangaroos of small size are likely to be sick/injured – they are a sociable animal and should be with the mob.
Look for emaciation, “choppy” coat, weight on one leg, lack of “flight response”, not looking at eating grass – but watching you approach without fleeing.
Don’t cut out kangaroos trapped in fences – call for help immediately as they may hop away and die slowly of infection.
Keep a basic rescue kit in your car (can be provided by Helen on request):
o Gloves/hand sanitiser.
o Round nose scissors (to cut a teat from a deceased doe to free the joey). o Blanket to calm/keep warm.
o Hand warmers, sachets and a cooler bag to keep a joey warm.
o Pouches of various sizes.