As the sun sets each evening across Australia, kangaroos emerge in close family units to graze, socialise and bond, as they’ve done across their homeland for millions of years. But the onset of darkness brings with it the danger of being brutally killed or injured or left to die slow, painful deaths, all at the hands of the kangaroo shooting industry.
Kangaroos hold cultural and spiritual significance for First Nations people and are treasured by people in Australia and the world over, with few aware that these unique, sensitive animals have been hunted and killed in New South Wales (NSW) for over 45 years for commercial industry profit.
Although it is considered an offence to kill or hurt these “protected” native animals in NSW, the federal and state governments allow this protection to be stripped away under a commercial shooting licence, or a permit that is astonishingly called a ‘licence to harm’ which can be handed out over the phone to land managers who want to shoot wildlife.
This ‘harm’ – as indicated by the name – is far from humane. Kangaroos are shot, and some flee only to succumb to their injuries slowly. At the hands of shooters, joeys are cruelly, but legally, decapitated or bludgeoned to death, or escape only to die without the protection of their mother.