Drought is a stressful time for any farmer trying to balance competing business, livestock and landscape demands. In this episode, we’ll hear from a farmer about his experience living through the latest drought with unmanaged, overabundant kangaroos on his property. Kangaroos also struggle in drought with inevitable dehydration and starvation from lack of food and water.

So what can be done about it? We’ll hear from an animal welfare expert about the different ways kangaroos are managed on agricultural properties, the impact on animals and what the general public thinks. Join us to see how the use of new tools and how being proactive instead of reactive, will help both landholders and kangaroos in this challenging situation.

Guests featured in this episode include:

Leon Zanker – Pastoralist from Western NSW
Dr. Trudy Sharp - Research Scientist, Vertebrate pest research unit, NSW DPI
Dr. Steve McLeod - Manager Vertebrate Pest Research | Invasive Species Biosecurity

Other useful resources

The National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Commercial Purposes (the Code)

https://www.agrifutures.com.au/product/national-code-of-practice-for-the-humane-shooting-of-kangaroos-and-wallabies-for-commercial-purposes

The National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Non-Commercial Purposes

https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/wildlife-trade/publications/national-code-practice-humane-shooting-kangaroos-and-wallabies-non-commercial

The Kangaroo Management Taskforce website has several resources including a page on Animal Welfare

https://kangaroomanagementtaskforce.com.au/animal-welfare/

KMT film launched in 2022 - A Million Dead Icons - https://youtu.be/HsWcYWiOrTM

Kangaroo Management Taskforce Facebook page - facebook.com/kangarootaskforce

Read Leon Zanker’s story in Ecological Management and Restoration - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/emr.12441

The Pastoral Poddy is brought to you by Western Local Land Services and the kangaroo series is supported through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

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