Australia’s beloved kangaroos are now controversial pests

The image of a “boxing” kangaroo—now a ubiquitous symbol of Australia—first appeared in an 1891 cartoon inspired by exhibitions that pitted man against roo. Landholding farmers, called graziers, say that the country’s estimated 50 million kangaroos damage their crops and compete with livestock for scarce resources. John Kelly, former executive director of the Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia, says, “Harvesting our food and fibers from animals adapted to Australia’s fragile rangelands is eminently wise and sustainable. Dwayne Bannon-Harrison, a member of the Yuin people of New South Wales, says the idea that kangaroos are destroying the country is laughable. But as demand for kangaroo products has waned—in part because of publicity efforts by animal welfare organizations—the industry has been taking only a fraction of the annual cull allowed.

Source: www.nationalgeographic.com