The Kangaroo Con: The Truth Behind a Cruel, Unsustainable Industry

Millions of kangaroos are shot each year in the world’s largest commercial slaughter of land-based wildlife. In response to international criticism, Australian Governments developed methods to count kangaroos, generate population estimates and allocate commercial quotas. These methods are flawed. The figures don’t make sense. They often defy science and logic. Government management programs collapse under scrutiny.

Kangaroos have become visually extinct in many areas and numbers have crashed since the 1970s. Kangaroo populations scientifically classified at risk of extinction are killed by the commercial industry. Meanwhile, government figures create the illusion of sustainability.

Meticulously researched and drawing upon 14 years of data obtained via Freedom of Information requests, The Kangaroo Con reveals the ugly truth of manipulated figures and reckless endangerment of kangaroo populations by a profit-driven commercial industry led by the Australian Government.

What people are saying about The Kangaroo Con:

"Day after day, night after night, Australia's remaining kangaroos are being slaughtered, out of ignorance, baseless prejudice, and rapacious greed. Harrowing and even devastating as it can be to read, this is a painstakingly detailed exposé and I am very grateful for it. Others have charted the wild inaccuracies and flagrant deceptions of kangaroo population estimates, and the perilous plight of kangaroos that results from them,  but their work has mainly concerned New South Wales. Here at last is a document that not only proves far beyond reasonable doubt that kangaroo 'management' in South Australia, Western Australia and Victoria operates by the same dodgy principles, but offers some keen insight into the myths and misconceptions that sustain those principles. The Kangaroo Con will go straight onto my shelf of the most valuable tools for helping to save kangaroos from the mindless and delinquent governments and industries driving them so perilously close to extinction." Associate Professor David Brooks

"What an outstanding achievement. Robyn's research and attention to detail are inspirational. Thank you for providing this gem of knowledge and information for us all. May it help our bouncy cousins to escape the cruelty of ignorant humans." Franklyn Hynes