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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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10

Australia to Kill 6K Kangaroos

Burgeoning population is harming rare plants; protests planned

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(AP) – Australia's army has started shooting 6,000 kangaroos to thin the animal population on an army training ground near the capital, an official said today, outraging conservationists who have vowed to protest. The killings are intended to protect endangered plants and insects that share the grassy habitat with the kangaroos. A much smaller slaughter of 400 kangaroos in Canberra last year was disrupted by protesters.

Civilian marksmen contracted by the department began shooting the kangaroos on Tuesday night at Defense's Majura Training Area, where an estimated 9,000 of the wild marsupials roam, an official told reporters. "The culling is intended to reduce the kangaroo population to sustainable levels," he said, describing the action as that of a "responsible landowner." The nighttime shooting is expected to continue intermittently until August.

They bounce across the roof of Parliament House. They collide with cars. They come in through the bedroom window. Canberra, Australia's capital, has a problem: too many kangaroos.
They bounce across the roof of Parliament House. They collide with cars. They come in through the bedroom window. Canberra, Australia's capital, has a problem: too many kangaroos.   (AP Photo/Rob Griffith, file)
In this May 20, 2008 file photo, kangaroos are corralled in a pen before they are culled at a abandoned Department of Defense property near Canberra, Australia. The culling has begun again this year.
In this May 20, 2008 file photo, kangaroos are corralled in a pen before they are culled at a abandoned Department of Defense property near Canberra, Australia. The culling has begun again this year.   (AP Photo/Mark Graham, File)
In this March 15, 2008 file photo, a kangaroo is seen at the Belconnen Naval Transmission Station near Canberra, Australia.
In this March 15, 2008 file photo, a kangaroo is seen at the Belconnen Naval Transmission Station near Canberra, Australia.   (AP Photo/Mark Graham, File)
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10 comments
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kati
May 8, 09 9:20 AM CDT
Birth control for them (and people) is always an option. But for now, at least it's going to be made into "sport". Reply
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+1
Observer
May 8, 09 9:27 AM CDT
Why not stage the world's largest "Roo on the Barbie!" event in history. Reply
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0
morenogabr
May 8, 09 9:57 AM CDT
Fuckin sick. Pretty unethical if you ask me. Australians dont believe in any other form of population control? Mass slaughter is the only solution? Jesus Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
laslow
May 8, 09 10:19 AM CDT
Have you been to Australia recently? These things are huge and there's tons of them. They're strong as hell too.
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muleskinner
May 8, 09 10:14 AM CDT
whats sick about it---we have 30000 horses roaming in the west with nothing to eat-- people are turning them loose in the desert because they cant feed them------you want to pay for it? there has been no rain out here, for months, and its fire season here now-- shooting to me is the most human way if its quick and the animal dosent know what hit him---you got another suggestion? Reply
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+3

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