READERS have until 11 July to comment on plans for ongoing kangaroo “harvesting” by the state government.
The so-called Kangaroo Harvesting Program review is being conducted by the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Change.
The program has been strongly criticised by Mornington Peninsula conservationists and Wildlife Victoria (“Fears that kangaroo kill will be increased” The News 27/7/23).
Jo Hansen of Save Our Kangaroos of the Mornington Peninsula said the region should not be in the “harvesting” program as a citizen science count conducted in 2021 reckoned the peninsula only had 3000 eastern grey kangaroos, “a population that had been isolated for more than 40 years”.
Hansen said the state government’s approach to protecting wildlife while killing kangaroos was hypocritical and unsustainable as hundreds of kangaroos had been trapped on a private property at Cape Schanck for about 18 months, with DEECA refusing to allow wildlife experts and vets to herd them out due to “welfare” concerns.
Commenters have to sign up on the government’s community consultation website Engage Victoria before submitting comments. This requires an email address and a created password.
Go to: engage.vic.gov.au/kangaroo-harvesting-management-review
First published in the Mornington News – 4th July 2023