Harvesting Kangaroos in New South Wales

Abstract

In New South Wales the red kangaroo, Megaleia rufa (Desmarest), and the two species of grey kangaroo, Macropus giganteus Shaw and M. fuliginosus (Desmarest), are harvested commercially. In 1975 the National Parks and Wildlife Service issued permits for 239,764 kangaroos to be shot, but only 48,200 red and 70,200 grey kangaroos were taken. Over western New South Wales the numbers shot represented only 2.3% of the reds and 3.8% of the greys. Most of the harvesting was in areas where kangaroos were abundant. Where densities were low few animals were shot but they accounted for a high proportion of the standing crop-in some areas over 15%. Possible reasons for this under the present management system are discussed, together with the implications for future management.