Passion around the kangaroo

Despite high-profile protests by wildlife advocates, the Australian government raised the quota for kangaroo shooting this year, setting it at 6.9 million animals. The Australian kangaroo meat and leather industry is booming, recently earning $ 128 million a year.

Australia has always had a difficult relationship with its marsupial shrine. She, along with the ostrich Amy, flaunts on the arms of the country, entire generations of children grew up in 1960 and 1970 on the television series about Skippy, like the series Lassie, familiar to Russian viewers. The Australians themselves call themselves “Wallaby”, just like not the largest kangaroos (as New Zealanders call themselves “Kiwi”).

But farmers consider them pests and complain that they eat sheep and poison crops. And drivers in rural areas are forced to stop with sunset on the sidelines before dawn, so as not to run into the swift symbols of the state. Continue reading →