Australian officials plan kangaroo cull By ROD McGUIRK, Associated Press Writer

CANBERRA, Australia - Authorities said Monday they want to shoot more than 3,000 kangaroos on the fringes of Australia's capital, noting the animals were growing in population and eating through the grassy habitats of endangered species.

The Defense Department wants to hire professional shooters to cull the kangaroos at two of its properties on the outskirts of Canberra, where some areas have as many as 1,100 kangaroos per square mile — the densest kangaroo population ever measured in the region.

Canberra's local government is expected to decide this week whether to approve the cull, government spokeswoman Yersheena Nichols said.

Under the plan, 3,200 of the common eastern gray kangaroos, which can grow as big as a man, will be shot by July.

The territory's Animal Liberation president Mary Hayes warned that such an action would earn the local government an international reputation for cruelty.

"It is a very cruel, violent way to treat animals," she told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.

Queensland state Kangaroo Protection Coalition activist Pat O'Brien rejected the government's argument that the kangaroos risked starvation if they were not killed.

"This is just an excuse to kill them," he said.

The Defense Department said the 6,500 kangaroos at its two sites were not only threatening their own survival, they were destroying the habitat of endangered species including the grassland earless dragon, striped legless lizard and golden sun moth.

The government said on its Web site that there has been a population explosion of kangaroos in the territory, which includes Canberra.

Officials have conducted periodic culls of the fast-breeding kangaroo, which is Australia's national symbol but also a pest in agricultural areas, eating pastures intended for livestock.

Millions are killed in more rural areas of Australia each year, but killing 3,000 kangaroos in more urban Canberra and the surrounding Australian Capital Territory has raised protests.

A cull of about 800 kangaroos in the Canberra area in 2004 also brought a large outcry from animal activists.

In 2003, authorities ordered the killing of 6,500 eastern grays at the Puckapunyal military base, 62 miles north of Melbourne. A year earlier, a similar shooting operation killed more than 20,000 kangaroos on the base.

The final decision on the latest cull will be made by government official Russell Watkinson.

"Our concerns are for the welfare of the animals and the potential for a starvation event and also the fact that there are some rare and threatened species in these grasslands under some further threat due to overgrazing," Watkinson told ABC.

Scientists soon plan to test an oral contraceptive developed for kangaroos in an attempt to thin their numbers at one of the sites in suburban Belconnen, according to government ecologist Don Fletcher.

"Shooting kangaroos is a violent thing that for urban populations is becoming increasingly undesirable," said Fletcher, who is developing the contraceptive in conjunction with the University of Newcastle for trial on 20 female survivors of the cull.

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I just read that report as well. I wish I was closer. I'd love to help out!

How the hell is a female roo going to get those little contraceptive tablets out of the packet with no thumbs?

They'd be better off culling those big two-legged rats in parliament first, then worry about the 'roos...

quote:

Defense Department

Is the defence department running low on ammo? Or are all the boy's busy else where?

What the bunny-huggers are quick to forget is that more than 500 roos are killed in car accidents in the Canberra region each year. The area is crawling with the buggers and when I lived there I had them eating my front lawn and you really had to keep your eyes open for them, at night, even when driving around many of the suburbs.

Once, while visiting a friend in suburban Canberra, a car came hurtling down the road and hit something in front of the house. My 4WD was parked there so I ran out, expecting that he had side-swiped me but, instead, found a mortally wounded roo on the driveway. I dispatched him with a ball-peen hammer as it was the only thing to do for the poor thing, and then my mate and I suddenly remembered the neighbours, whose views we were uncertain of, so we quickly disposed of the body and kept a low profile in case some bunny-hugger accused us of bludgening wildlife for fun!

What's more humane - shooting them or running them over? Stupid dumb bunny-huggers!

When I was a teen, I saw a roo jump over the rail of a new bridge in Tuggeranong. It landed on the concrete causeway and lay there with its legs broken and its guts hanging out. I was unable to get down there so I called the RSPCS (you know all creatures great and small )They said.....its not our job!I rang National Parks who were very reluctant to go and put the poor bloody thing down as well.

I don't know why the Dept of Defence dosn't just simply keep it's mouth shut about this sort of thing like it does for a lot of other stuff.
Shoot, shovel, shut up is my motto.

The bloody things breed like flies anyway. It's not like there's a shortage of them.
I'll bet more than that are killed on Australian roads every night of the week.

quote:

I don't know why the Dept of Defence dosn't just simply keep it's mouth shut about this sort of thing like it does for a lot of other stuff.

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) do not condone illegal activities and the only time they keep their mouths shut is when it is a matter of security. The integrity of the ADF is far higher than the sensationalist media would have the public believe, and what you obviously believe.

John Howard may get away with some of his lies by blaming the ADF (remember the "children overboard" affair?), but that is no proof that the ADF bends the truth or keeps its mouth shut to suit itself.

Even if there was a desire to perform this illegal activity, I have worked at RAAF Fairbairn, Russell Offices and Campbell Park and the latter having the largest population of roos in the area, and there is no way you could secretly cull the roos without the public finding out after just the first couple of shots. These areas are crawling with public servants and civilian contractors and, often, the general public. And make no mistake, the ADF has it's fair share of bunny-huggers, too.

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:

The territory's Animal Liberation president Mary Hayes warned that such an action would earn the local government an international reputation for cruelty.

"It is a very cruel, violent way to treat animals," she told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.

Queensland state Kangaroo Protection Coalition activist Pat O'Brien rejected the government's argument that the kangaroos risked starvation if they were not killed.

"This is just an excuse to kill them," he said.

The Defense Department said the 6,500 kangaroos at its two sites were not only threatening their own survival, they were destroying the habitat of endangered species including the grassland earless dragon, striped legless lizard and golden sun moth.

"Greenies are warned that such comments would earn them an international reputation for stupidity."

quote:

Scientists soon plan to test an oral contraceptive developed for kangaroos in an attempt to thin their numbers at one of the sites in suburban Belconnen, according to government ecologist Don Fletcher.

"Shooting kangaroos is a violent thing that for urban populations is becoming increasingly undesirable," said Fletcher, who is developing the contraceptive in conjunction with the University of Newcastle for trial on 20 female survivors of the cull.

"for urban populations is becoming increasingly undesirable .."

Says whom? Where is the evidence?

quote:

Originally posted by BwanaBob:

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) do not condone illegal activities and the only time they keep their mouths shut is when it is a matter of security.

Sure thing...
I am a Defence employee and can say with utter confidence that PLENTY of defence related activities (not illegal or classified) go on in this country without the general population knowing about it, but I will say no more.
What I was try to emphasise is that they didn't need to go blurting it out to the media like has happened.
Just get out there and get it done on a need to know basis. Nothing illegal with that.

quote:

The integrity of the ADF is far higher than the sensationalist media would have the public believe,

Agreed

quote:

John Howard may get away with some of his lies by blaming the ADF (remember the "children overboard" affair?), but that is no proof that the ADF bends the truth or keeps its mouth shut to suit itself.

John Howard has only a moderate influence on what Defence actually gets up to on a day to day basis at the grass roots level.

quote:

no way you could secretly cull the roos without the public finding out after just the first couple of shots.

A silenced .22, night vision gogs, very late at night. You would be rolling them left, right and centre before anybody knew about it

quote:

A silenced .22, night vision gogs, very late at night. You would be rolling them left, right and centre before anybody knew about it

I was going to reply to your additional comments, but I don't think I will bother - my original points still stand and you can keep your fantasy, if that is what you want.

I don't know what part of defence you work in, but it sure isn't the same as the ADF that I have spent most of my life in.

quote:

Just get out there and get it done on a need to know basis. Nothing illegal with that.

I re-read your post and just had to reply to this point. No matter how you dress is up, shooting roos, on defence establishments in the ACT, is illegal.

To start with, hunting is illegal in the ACT - farmers can get permission to conduct culls, but you or I cannot hunt in the ACT. Therefore, unless you have permission for a cull, you are breaking the law.

Secondly, wildlife is protected on Defence establishments, including most weapons ranges. Even on civilian ranges all wildlife is protected. You can't even legally shoot a rabbit on a range, let alone a protected, native species.

Don't get me wrong, I am quite happy to see the cull go ahead (and would happily help out, if I could) but lets not add to the bunny-hugger's paranoia by suggesting that the ADF should conduct a clandestine 'hit' on the local roo population. It would be quite naive of us to think that they don't read these threads, from time to time, looking for more ammunition to use against us and such comments only tarnish the credibility of the ADF.

quote:

keep your fantasy, if that is what you want.

A "fantasy" no less! Jeez thanks
So you do not think this is at all possible?
So why not......??
I see nothing fantastic about it in the least, just like spotlighting......but without the spotlight.

Do you believe then that eveything Defence does needs to be aired on TV for all and sundry to see, comment and act upon??

quote:

I don't know what part of defence you work in but it sure isn't the same as the ADF that I have spent most of my life in.

Who said anything about the ADF.
Defence is far, far more than just the ADF.
I ain't saying exactly, but it's in SA anyway.
If you were in the ADF, as you say, you will know exactly where I'm talking about.
Excecise your imagination, seems like it could do with some.

quote:

I re-read your post and just had to reply to this point. No matter how you dress is up, shooting roos, on defence establishments in the ACT, is illegal.

To start with, hunting is illegal in the ACT - farmers can get permission to conduct culls, but you or I cannot hunt in the ACT. Therefore, unless you have permission for a cull, you are breaking the law.

Secondly, wildlife is protected on Defence establishments, including most weapons ranges. Even on civilian ranges all wildlife is protected. You can't even legally shoot a rabbit on a range, let alone a protected, native species.

Yes, yes, all very correct.
But just who do you think makes these rules????

quote:

Who said anything about the ADF.
Defence is far, far more than just the ADF.

OK, now I know where you are coming from and why you don't seem to want to understand what I have been talking about.

quote:

Originally posted by BwanaBob:
To start with, hunting is illegal in the ACT - farmers can get permission to conduct culls, but you or I cannot hunt in the ACT. Therefore, unless you have permission for a cull, you are breaking the law.

Bob

That's the first time I have ever read that, and it is terrible.

So a landowner with a decent amount of land in the ACT where it is safe to shoot can not hunt rabbits, foxes, goats or the occaisional deer?

There are so many dead Roos on the outskirts of the ACT that its downright dangerous. I travel there from NSW at least 1 time a month, and quit frankly i refuse to drive dawn or dusk for fear that they may jump out in front of the Subaru!
Im in for the cull if they want volunteers.

Firstly,

What is ACT? I can understand that wildlife is protected on military property - its like that over here. But if the government is going to authorize a culling, can't the government also legally authorize a culling on its own property?

Secondly,

How do the greenies expect an animal with the intelligence level of a kangaroo to stay on the pill? I know several women who couldn't stay current enough with their oral contraceptives to prevent an, err, "over population." I can't imagine a kangaroo would have a fighting chance at staying on a pill regimen...

The ADF will NOT undertake culling or any other manner of lethal animal control; feral or fauna, since the media driven outcry when the RAR cleaned up a dozen or so zillion feral cats in Queensland about a dozen years ago with their F88s. ALL firing ranges in Australia; military and civilian, are fauna and game reserves and even though the odd bunny gets popped it is illegal and does not reflect well on the controlling body.

quote:

Originally posted by Tex21:
Firstly,

What is ACT?

Australian Capital Territory

quote:

Originally posted by wirehunt:

quote:

Originally posted by Tex21:
Firstly,

What is ACT?

Australian Capital Territory

A 'small' Australian Territory surrounding Canberra the Federal Capital. Perhaps similar to Washington "District of Colombia". Wholly surrounded by the state of New South Wales.

Has a territory's government, similar to a State Government except lesser powers and rights. Otherwise basically controlled by the Commonwealth (Federal) Government.

Other Australian Territories are the "Northern Territory" and some of the off shore islands in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Sorry to hear about all this. Once again the "greens" rule. Opening that area to hunting, with permits if need be, would be of benefit to the environment, and would control an over population.

Something of a similar ilk.

Koala sterilisation

What a waste. $4 million bucks......jeez.
A few trained individuals could have solved that problem permanently and more effectively for less than 1/10th of that cost.
Done and dusted in a few weeks, problem solved.

Screw the Asian tourists, they will soon forget all about it once the next sensation/crisis comes across their TV screens anyway.

"Who said anything about the ADF.
Defence is far, far more than just the ADF.
I ain't saying exactly, but it's in SA anyway.
If you were in the ADF, as you say, you will know exactly where I'm talking about."

Are we talking about paramilitary fantasy, or just some other aspect of the 'legal' desfense establishment operating in Australia? Shades of the White Army of the 1920s? I don't theink they were very concerned aboout 'roos...

quote:

Are we talking about paramilitary fantasy, or just some other aspect of the 'legal' desfense establishment operating in Australia? Shades of the White Army of the 1920s? I don't theink they were very concerned aboout 'roos...

Hardly a paramilitary fantasy.
There must be well over a couple of thousand non-uniformed people here and my pay cheque goes into the bank every couple of weeks and so I'm guessing it must be for real