Kangaroos-Furry, Friendly, and…Edible?

By Jaiha Lee
Kangaroos are one of the most recognizable symbols of Australia. Known for carrying their young in a pouch and impressive kickboxing skills, these marsupials have been around long before humans settled into the area. However, scientists have recently brought up a controversial topic, calling for Australians to eat kangaroo meat due to a rapid increase in the kangaroo population.
According to the government’s Department of the Environment and Energy, the number of kangaroos rose from about 27 million in 2010 to 45 million in 2016, almost double compared to the human population of Australia. This was due to an increase in humidity and rain, promoting the growth of plants eaten by kangaroos and allowing them to have offspring. However, a large problem arises from the concern that a dry season in the near future could kill off many of the species and leave these dead animals out in the open.
Despite the fact that kangaroo meat recipes were commonly found in recipe books in the 1930’s, many Australians today are refusing to eat their national emblem for obvious reasons, with only 14.5% in 2008 saying they eat kangaroo at least four times a year. Much like how it’s unfathomable for us to eat dog meat, kangaroos feel personal to Australians; after all, the majority were brought up believing that these creatures were adorable and cuddly. One of the reasons for this shift in favor was because of Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, an iconic character from a TV show of the same name who had caught the hearts of many Australians in the 1960’s.
Still, the health benefits that come from overcoming the stigma of eating kangaroo meat are quite appealing. Studies show that it’s filled with conjugated linoleic acid (which is shown to reduce obesity and certain heart diseases), has only 2% fat, is high in protein, and contains larger concentrations of iron and omega-3 than beef. And compared to cows, kangaroos leave a much smaller carbon footprint, don’t need as much water (as they can survive in hot conditions), and are plenty available across the continent. One report shows that if all the sheep and cow farms were replaced with kangaroo farming, the amount of greenhouse gases would decrease 10% overall in Australia, meeting the country’s goal of reducing the gases to 30% by 2020.
A commonly brought up issue is that of hunters shooting kangaroos in their natural habitat. In a 2009 report, one ecologist estimated that 440,000 young kangaroos starved to death or died in other ways after their mothers were shot. Even then, this number is insignificant compared to the millions of kangaroos occupying the land, and some argue that this method is more ethical and less stressful for the animal than raising them on farms.
Eating kangaroos isn’t the only way to slow down the growing kangaroo population. While the most obvious method is to hunt kangaroos, preventing pregnancies with sterilization or contraceptives can be used as well. In fact, the creation of a fertility control drug is currently in the works. Additionally, people have already started to modify kangaroo habitats by limiting water availability, reducing vegetation, and introducing predators such as wild dogs.
Whether or not Australians actually decide to eat Skippy the Kangaroo and the rest of his kind, this marsupial problem doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.