Mothers will be shot. Orphaned joeys will be decapitated. Some will slowly starve…
Despite being a native animal, the legal protections that usually apply to native wildlife are lifted so that kangaroos can be shot under commercial licences in five Australian states (Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia, and Victoria).
Hidden far from the eyes of the public, the commercial slaughter of kangaroos occurs at night in isolated locations, often in the remote Australian outback. This makes the ‘National Code of Practice’ in place that is meant to apply to this slaughter impossible to effectively enforce – meaning there is no oversight.
It comes as a shock to many that this Code also specifically allows for the decapitation and bludgeoning of joeys to death.
Deemed ‘useless’ by the commercial industry, the joeys of the mothers who have been shot are legally decapitated or swung forcibly against a towbar. Some who manage to escape, slowly starve or are picked off by predators without the care of their mum.
Of the millions of native kangaroos who are shot and killed every year, it’s unknown how many more escape wounded, only to endure a long and painful death.
