Australia’s beloved kangaroos are now controversial pests(nationalgeographic.com)
nationalgeographic.com
Australia’s beloved kangaroos are now controversial pests
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2019/02/australia-kangaroo-beloved-symbol-becomes-pest/?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=social::src=facebook::cmp=editorial::add=fb20190121ngm-animalskangaroopests
45 comments
Perhaps it's also a language thing?
In my native language, Kangaroos are closely associated with Australia, but New Zealanders are never called Kiwis.
In my native language, Kangaroos are closely associated with Australia, but New Zealanders are never called Kiwis.
New Zealanders tend to refer to themselves as kiwis. But outside of NZ I hear a mix of Kiwi vs New Zealander.
In Singapore I was asked if it’s ok to refer to me and a Kiwi because they thought it may be a racist term.
In Singapore I was asked if it’s ok to refer to me and a Kiwi because they thought it may be a racist term.
I've had people ask me if "Kiwi" is a racist term too. I've always thought it was such a strange concept that someone might think it's racist.
But then again, I guess it's racist to call French people frogs, so I can understand how someone would come to the conclusion that it's racist to call someone a Kiwi.
But then again, I guess it's racist to call French people frogs, so I can understand how someone would come to the conclusion that it's racist to call someone a Kiwi.
Neither 'frog' nor 'kiwi' are racist [1]:
[1] https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/racism
racism
1 Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against
someone of a different race based on the belief that one's
own race is superior.
[1] https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/racism
Not to stoke the fires here, but I assume you are referring to the fact that being from France or being from New Zealand does not indicate any particular race, and so the terms (meaning someone from France/NewZealand) can not denote "racism".
However, I think it's generally the case that when people use the term "racist", they mean "derogatory based on the origin of the person", and not necessarily their race. Language is flexible and people use terms in common usage which is does not adhere to prescriptive definitions. I have to admit being quite pedantic myself, but have come to accept looser definitions of words as I get older. As long as I understand what the person is intending to say, I try not to worry about what they actually said. This has helped me communicate with people greatly. YMMV.
However, I think it's generally the case that when people use the term "racist", they mean "derogatory based on the origin of the person", and not necessarily their race. Language is flexible and people use terms in common usage which is does not adhere to prescriptive definitions. I have to admit being quite pedantic myself, but have come to accept looser definitions of words as I get older. As long as I understand what the person is intending to say, I try not to worry about what they actually said. This has helped me communicate with people greatly. YMMV.
The problem is that the 'racist' label is so poisonous in our (western-European, north-American) culture that it is being used to silence others, no matter whether they actually are racist or not. It does not take much to be called 'racist', sometimes drinking a glass of milk is enough [1,2].
[1] https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/milk-white-supremacy-ra...
[2] https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/17/us/white-supremacists-sci...
[1] https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/milk-white-supremacy-ra...
[2] https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/17/us/white-supremacists-sci...
Frog or Froggy was never racist to me. It might depend on who's saying it and his/her intentions though.
I know someone doing the same drive that hit a kangaroo and left their car written off in the middle of no where - had to wait for a call to come out for someone to pick them up.
Is there any move towards building dedicated animal crossing bridges? These have been proving very successful where deployed in the US.
I'm not sure how practical that would be for kangaroos. How do you get roos to use the bridge instead of just using the road?
Also, I'm pretty sure they like hanging out on the road, because the road traps heat and stays warmer at night.
Also, I'm pretty sure they like hanging out on the road, because the road traps heat and stays warmer at night.
> How do you get roos to use the bridge instead of just using the road?
The same way they got wolves, deer, oppossums, raccoons, coyotes, dogs, elk, and more to do it? They’re mainly underground tunnels or overpasses that are covered in natural materials, free of scary, fast, roaring machines, etc
The same way they got wolves, deer, oppossums, raccoons, coyotes, dogs, elk, and more to do it? They’re mainly underground tunnels or overpasses that are covered in natural materials, free of scary, fast, roaring machines, etc
Kangaroos roam widely, and in open farmland will not use fixed paths, so they'll cross anywhere they please.
You would have to put up extremely tall barriers along all the roads, which is an expense I think most people would be unwilling to fund.
You would have to put up extremely tall barriers along all the roads, which is an expense I think most people would be unwilling to fund.
I'm pretty sure roos actually like hanging out on the road.
Often they seem to just be standing around on the road until I light them up with my headlights and they start moving.
Often they seem to just be standing around on the road until I light them up with my headlights and they start moving.
For slower moving marsupials such as koalas, yes.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-36891868
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-36891868
I have driven across Australia several times. Parts of the Nullarbor at night was like playing Space Invaders - the roos just kept on coming, probably in the thousands.
I didn't hit any, just like I don't hit animals when driving here at home. As with everything else in traffic, it's all about keeping your eyes peeled, your attention focused, and your driving speed sensibly adjusted to conditions.
They've been considered a pest for as long as I've been alive, and when I was younger we used to shoot them all the time on our properties.
They're delicious.
They're delicious.
Pardon the off-topic but I'm curious about the meat, does it have similarities with other common meats like beef, pork, chicken in terms of texture, fats and taste?
It's a lot like beef, not surprising since they essentially fill the same niche. The flavor is a lot stronger though, personally I couldn't eat a thick roo steak like a would eat a beef one, a burger with a thin patty is fine.
My personal favorite is to use roo strips instead of bacon/ham on a chicken parma https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_parmigiana .
My personal favorite is to use roo strips instead of bacon/ham on a chicken parma https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_parmigiana .
It's most similar to venison (deer meat) or rabbit.
It's incredibly lean meat, almost no fat and very red, and it has a very strong gamey flavour. People either love it or hate it. If you overcook it, it's like eating leather.
I'm now a vegetarian, but it used to be my favourite meat. I used to eat it more often than beef. It also helps that kangaroo meat is cheaper than beef in Australia.
It's incredibly lean meat, almost no fat and very red, and it has a very strong gamey flavour. People either love it or hate it. If you overcook it, it's like eating leather.
I'm now a vegetarian, but it used to be my favourite meat. I used to eat it more often than beef. It also helps that kangaroo meat is cheaper than beef in Australia.
almost no fat, which makes it hard to cook right. it goes tough very easily.
The best roo I've ever had was Kangaroo tail, cooked over many hours buried under the remains of a campfire. (aboriginal style)
pulled it out, cracked the fur off it (cause it melted and cooked into a hard shell) then peeled the meat off with my fingers... it was buttery soft.
The best roo I've ever had was Kangaroo tail, cooked over many hours buried under the remains of a campfire. (aboriginal style)
pulled it out, cracked the fur off it (cause it melted and cooked into a hard shell) then peeled the meat off with my fingers... it was buttery soft.
It's like very lean beef but more gamey.
Most people don't like it. It's usually used as pet food.
Most people don't like it. It's usually used as pet food.
Depends on how you prepare it - if it's not hung and bled properly you generally end up with a particularly gamey flavour.
The reason Kangaroos have come to be considered pests is simple: land clearing.
Where there was once forest or dense scrub is now open pasture or grassland.
This increases the food supply for livestock but of course also increases the supply for Kangaroos - and Kangaroos are much more efficient eaters than sheep or cattle.
So there are two options really:
* Maintain livestock and cull Kangaroos; or
* Reduce stocking rates, replant native vegetation on cleared land and the Kangaroo population will reduce accordingly.
This increases the food supply for livestock but of course also increases the supply for Kangaroos - and Kangaroos are much more efficient eaters than sheep or cattle.
So there are two options really:
* Maintain livestock and cull Kangaroos; or
* Reduce stocking rates, replant native vegetation on cleared land and the Kangaroo population will reduce accordingly.
A few weeks ago I was in Japan talking about this to a local.
He was shocked and horrified to learn Australians eat kangaroo meat, that it's easily available in any supermarket.
A bit later we asked for cuisine suggestions, and our reaction when he suggested we try horse sashimi was not much different...
He was shocked and horrified to learn Australians eat kangaroo meat, that it's easily available in any supermarket.
A bit later we asked for cuisine suggestions, and our reaction when he suggested we try horse sashimi was not much different...
Ohhhhhh I love horse sashimi. Horse meat is apparently common in Europe? I don’t know if that’s true.
Even more ironic, the Dutch have a horse based dish called "Filet Americain". (Although it's mostly made with beef now)
As far as driving goes roos are a scourge, especially when dealing with the reds which are the size of a large adult. Poor dumb things sit on the road to warm up, get mesmerised by headlights, and get hit. To date I probably see 50 dead roos on the side of the road for every live one. At least those you can deal with if you drive carefully and semi-slowly during dusk/night.
That being said I've heard far too many stories of roos hopping alongside the car and inexplicably deciding to cross through you car effectively kamikazing themselves.
Unfortunately 2000km-long tall fences along major highways aren't financially viable and at the end of the day we are driving through their habitat
That being said I've heard far too many stories of roos hopping alongside the car and inexplicably deciding to cross through you car effectively kamikazing themselves.
Unfortunately 2000km-long tall fences along major highways aren't financially viable and at the end of the day we are driving through their habitat
Flip it around. Humans are encroaching on kangaroos' natural habitats. We're clear cutting and razing the land to grow crops and raise livestock. We've severely reduced the population of the kangaroos' predators.
And now apparently we think the kangaroos are "in our way" and a "controversial pest".
We should take a good look at ourselves instead.
And now apparently we think the kangaroos are "in our way" and a "controversial pest".
We should take a good look at ourselves instead.
[deleted]
Brumbies, wild rabbits, feral pigs, cane toads... the list of introduced species that are a much bigger problem than roos goes on and on. Kangaroos are a native species and while I understand that we may need to control their numbers, I don't think it's fair to describe them as pests.
Hard to imagine when you haven't seen it in person
Not unlike the deer in North America. Deer management practices are largely driven by auto insurance industry lobbying.
Oh yeah? Where's that? Please provide a single source.
Is/was there a natural predator in Australia to keep their numbers in balance?
Dingos are their natural predator. But we've killed all the dingos because dingos also eat livestock.
It's the same as with deer in Europe and America. Wolves and beers are their natural predators, but then we killed all the wolves and bears because they ate our sheep.
It's the same as with deer in Europe and America. Wolves and beers are their natural predators, but then we killed all the wolves and bears because they ate our sheep.
How do we define natural predator? Dingos are an introduced species, they've only been here around 6000 years.
It's not controversial. They've always been pests to us here in Australia. It's the people from other countries who think they're cute - roos are not cute, they are ravenous eating machines, they are dirty and they were never designed to live in a modern agricultural context!
Wow. You understand that there are zero wild animals “designed” to live in a modern agricultural context, right?
They're only a pest due to human intervention with their habitat in order to produce beef. Humans clear land for cattle grazing and act surprised when the kangaroo (extremely similar biological niche) population also booms. I'm not sure what to make of your last sentence and fail to see how it's relevant.
After losing the War On Emus I can see why the Australian military is wary of taking on the Kangaroo Nation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emu_War
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emu_War
The big problem with them is that usually there isn't a single kangaroo to try and dodge on the road, but several at once. The recommended course of action upon encountering a roo on the road is to just keep driving straight. If you try and dodge it, you're just more likely to crash your car and just as likely to hit a kangaroo. They're big enough to cause a lot of damage to a car too.
They're absolutely a pest, and there are unnaturally high numbers of them from eating crops. Culling keeps the population down to healthy numbers. I think that most opposition to culling is because they're Australia's national animal. Nobody complains about culling foxes and goats. I also don't see how culling is any less ethical than farming cows or sheep.
Also, this is an interesting quote:
> There may be no animal and nation in the world more closely identified.
I'd argue that New Zealand and Kiwis are much more closely identified, to the point that New Zealand and Kiwi are literally synonymous. If someone asks me what nationality I am, I'd say "Kiwi" before I said "New Zealander". Never heard an Aussie refer to themselves as a roo.