We call upon  the European Commissioners Stella Kyriakides (DG SANTE) and Valdis Dombrovskis (DG Trade) to immediately suspend the importation of Kangaroo body parts and flesh. Statistics have disclosed more than 70% of Kangaroo flesh derived from the Australian "harvests" is exported to Europe.

The slaughter of Kangaroos for export of body parts and flesh for human consumption, under an Australian Commonwealth Government approved “wildlife trade management plan”, does not comply with the Legislation of the European Union namely Regulation 1099/200910,  Killing of animals.  Under the regulation, stunning animals before killing, ( to ensure the killing is humane and not cruel)  is compulsory. This regulation applies to animals “culled” for "depopulation, disease control" or “other purposes” "and farmed animals".  This is not happening. Further, the regulation requires products imported into the EU, to be accompanied with an attestation, certifying that requirements at least equivalent to those of the EU have been met. Investigations have revealed this cannot be certified.

Due to the remote locations where commercial kangaroo shooting takes place, there is no control or policing. Nobody is present to ensure animal welfare practices are complied including whether Kangaroos are stunned.  No statistics are available for the animals who are wounded and escape. 

Kangaroos have been found,  with blown-apart jaws from mis-shooting, but  survived to endure a long and painful death from starvation.  'In pouch' joeys of shot mothers are either decapitated (if very small) or killed with a blow to the head. Quite often dependent 'at foot' joeys escape, and suddenly face a life alone, often falling victim to predators, exposure or starvation. Eastern and Western Grey Kangaroos are not weaned until they are nearly 18 months old. “A Shot in the Dark’ — a report on kangaroo harvesting, a 2009 report commissioned by Animal Liberation (NSW) estimates some '440,000 dependent young kangaroos are either clubbed to death or left to starve after their mothers are killed'. (Source:Animals Australia)

Not only is the EU Legislation not complied with, the Australian Kangaroo industry Code of Practice requires that animals be killed by a single shot to the head, but even conservative estimates suggest that more than tens of thousands of the adult Kangaroos for commercial processing each year, are not killed in this manner. (Source Animals Australia). 

Commercial Trade in an Australian Emblamatic and Iconic Native Kangaroos must stop.  

The Australian Governments’  support for a Commercial Trade in Kangaroo Body Parts and Flesh for human consumption is being challenged,  and there are calls for it to be banned. It has been asserted State and Commonwealth Legislations designed to conserve and Protect Native Wildlife and habitat, does not support a commercial slaughter,  particularly a demand for trade in flesh for human consumption on a commercial scale.

State Governments rely on claims of “overabundance” and alledged consequential damage to farming land,  to justify “culling” or “harvesting” Kangaroos, in order to satisfy local Wildlife Legislation and the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth). This is to obtain a permit to remove or cull protected Native Wildlife for a commercial industry.

There are allegations that the population numbers of Kangaroos have been grossly exaggerated to justify a claim of "overabundance" and that in fact in some States, Kangaroos may face extinction as a consequence of "harvesting", or the push to supply demand for the commercial exploitation of Kangaroos. 

The intention of Legislations  is not  to support the commercialisation and trade in commerce of Australian Native Wildlife for human consumption, but rather the preservation and conservation of Australian native wildlife and habitat.

Ministerial approval is under the microscope.

There is a Call for a Ban on Killing Kangaroos and an immediate ban on the commercial "harvesting" of Kangaroos, and  to ban any further killing of Kangaroos; to revoke all current Permits and Plans for trade in Kangaroos for local and export markets.

Kangaroos are not and have never been "farmed animals" in Australia, nor were Kangaroos "farmed" by Australia's First Nations' peoples. To some indigenous Australians, Kangaroos are totemic. Kangaroos are  protected Native Wildlife.

We call upon the European Commissioners Stella Kyriakides (DG SANTE) and Valdis Dombrovskis (DG Trade) to immediately suspend the importation of Kangaroo body parts and flesh for human consumption as the EU Regulations are not being complied with.

Photo Credit: Red Box Wildlife Sanctuary Elphinstone, Victoria Australia