Kangaroo Archives 48Call to Boycott IGA! Kangaroo Protection Groups call to Boycott IGA! Why? Because they are actively promoting the human consumption of kangaroo meat. Go here and see for yourself...... http://www.iga.naturoo.com.au From the Naturoo website....."Naturoo is available in a range of easy to prepare and value added premium, innovative products at IGA Supermarkets across Queensland and at many of the better retail Butchers. On the Gold Coast try Savilles Meats or go to http://www.iga.net.au to locate the nearest IGA Supermarket to you. But don't Coles and Woolworths sell kangaroo meat too? Where will we buy our groceries? We dont know, but there appeaars to be a definate link between IGA and the Kangaroo Industry. Coles and Woolworths sell kangaroo meat but don't promote it like this. Physical Address of Naturoo is; Functional Food Holdings Pty Ltd, 72 Jijaws St, Sumner Park, Queensland, Australia 4074 Ph : 0418280064, Fax: +61 7 55299626 Email: info@naturoo.com.au However, a Whois search reveals that the URL www.naturoo.com.au is owned by the Registrant Contact Name: craig harwood, and the URL http://www.iga.naturoo.com.au is not owned by IGA, but is a forwarded URL or subdomain apparently owned by the registrant Craig Harwood. I wonder if IGA know about this? Perhaps we should tell them! Now theres no point in just not going to an IGA store. You need to tell them why you are not shopping with them! This is where you can do that! You may have to copy and paste the link below into your browser.......... http://www.iga.net.au/igafresh/index.cfm?page_id=2285&breadcrumb=Home%20>%20Contact%20Us&TempLeve11_PageID=2014 Please dont forget to tell them about the forwarding URL. If they dont know about this, they should do. *********************** Faces in the Mob DVD On the east coast of Australia lies a valley of magical beauty, surrounded by mountains and shrouded in mists during winter. In these idyllic surroundings live a mob of wild Eastern Grey Kangaroos whose society is rich and complex. Faces in the mob is an engaging true story of life within this one mob of Australian wild Eastern Grey Kangaroos. For two years, award-winning Australian filmmakers Dr. Jan Aldenhoven and Glen Carruthers lived with this mob. Hear their compelling account of the world of these captivating marsupials where each animal has its own personality. Now you can follow on DVD the destinies of two lovable joeys - a female named Sunshade whose mother is conscientious and successful, and Jaffa, a little male full of pluck and courage whose mother is absent-minded. And witness everything from birth to the dramatic and sometimes deadly battles between adult males. Never before has the richness and complexity of the kangaroo society and the daily drama of their family life been revealed in such stunning detail. Superbly photographed, this beautiful story of Australia's most famous animal will captivate you from beginning to end. Profits from sales of the DVD go to help the Kangaroo Protection Coalition to campaign for the protection of our beautiful kangaroos. Buy now with Paypal at http://www.kangaroo-protection-coalition.com/kangaroos-facesinthemob.html Kangaroos, Faces in the Mob! The best kangaroo documentary ever made ************************* A woman whose two dogs allegedly mauled a kangaroo to death at Darebin Parklands has been charged under the Domestic Animals Act. Karen Robb of Northcote faces two charges of dog attack and two charges of dog at large over the incident which resulted in the death of an eastern grey kangaroo on October 25. Darebin Council's manager of amenity and enforcement, Michael Kennedy, said the charges had been lodged with the Heidelberg Magistrates' Court. He said Ms Robb had agreed to always walk her dogs on leads while the matter was pending. If Ms Robb is found guilty of the charges, her german shepherd cross, Millie, and staffy cross, Maggie, could be put down. She also faces fines of almost $3000 over the attack. Ms Robb declined to comment when contacted by The Leader last week. *Preston Leader 26/11/07 ************************* A MAN caught with untagged kangaroo carcasses in Bathurst has received a record $3000 fine in Parkes Local Court for failing to comply with the conditions of his kangaroo trappers licence. Daniel Tanks failed to appear in court for the matter and the court convicted him in his absence on the basis of the court attendance notice. The charges were laid after Bathurst police stopped a man on August 22, 2006, who had a large number of kangaroo carcases in the back of his vehicle. Subsequent inquiries revealed 13 eastern grey kangaroo carcases had no commercial tags, which are a requirement under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. The Act is administered by the Department of Environment and Climate Change, which also operates the Kangaroo Management Program. Under this program, kangaroos can be killed for the commercial trade in accordance with strict conditions on licenses issued under the Act. DECC Director-General, Lisa Corbyn, said the fine was the highest penalty imposed for a single Kangaroo Management Program offence. "Kangaroos are protected fauna and people granted licences under the Kangaroo Management Program have a very serious responsibility to comply with the conditions. "Actions such as in this case undermine the goal of the licensing system which is to enable an ecologically sustainable kangaroo harvest. "In the drought when kangaroo numbers are low, this is particularly important. "People taking more than their quota are also disadvantaging others who do the right thing and comply with their licence conditions." *Nth Queensland Register ********************** Eating Skippy This week we interviewed John Kelly, executive officer of the Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia, who is promoting the use of kangaroo meat in Australian homes. "Kangaroo meat is low in fat and high in iron, zinc and protein," according to Kelly. Currently only 2 per cent of all red meat eaten in Australia is roo meat, and Kelly aims to up that number. But is it sustainable? Even Peter Ampt, manager of the Future of Australia's Threatened Ecosystems program at UNSW, says kangaroos could provide a cheap, healthy and eco-smart alternative to beef and lamb. And Dr Mark Diesendorf, an environmental expert from the University of NSW, that found reducing beef consumption by 20 per cent and eating roo instead would, by 2020, cut the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere significantly. But the kangaroo population in Australia is just 30 million - only 50 percent higher than the human population - and estimates suggest about 10-15 percent are being "harvested" each year. Given they are virtually impossible to farm, could we be loving our kangaroos into extinction? The kangaroo is in our national psyche. It seems to embody everything that's wild and unique, not to mention cute, about this country. There is also some hope the kangaroo could play a more prominent role on our dinner plates, with environmentalists promoting roo as the meat that could save the planet. "Kangaroos are a good animal to utilise in the Australian environment," says Peter Ampt, an agricultural scientist at the University of NSW. "They're an abundant resource and are very well adapted to our environment. And unlike cattle and sheep, they don't fart, meaning they don't produce methane, which is 21 times more potent a greenhouse gas than CO2." As manager of the Future of Australia's Threatened Ecosystems program at UNSW, Ampt is investigating ways to conserve Australia's native species through sustainable use. He says kangaroos could provide a cheap, healthy and eco-smart alternative to beef and lamb - a claim supported by a recent report by Dr Mark Diesendorf, an environmental expert from the University of NSW, that found reducing beef consumption by 20 per cent and eating roo instead would, by 2020, cut the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere significantly. "Kangaroo meat is low in fat and high in iron, zinc and protein," says John Kelly, executive officer of the Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia. "It's also high in a compound called conjugated linoleic acid, which actively reduces blood pressure. Besides which, it tastes good." There are between 30 and 50 million kangaroos in Australia. Ten to 15 per cent (it varies in each state) are harvested annually to produce 30,000 tonnes of meat. Of this, 60 per cent is exported, mainly to France, Germany, and Belgium; 20 per cent becomes pet food in this country and 20 per cent, or 6000 tonnes, is consumed by Australians as rump and fillets, mince and value-added product for sausages and hamburgers. Kangaroo accounts for less than 2 per cent of all red meat consumed in this country. The figure has stayed low due to cultural aversion and some canny campaigning by animal welfare groups who stress the plight of orphaned joeys and wounded roos. Ampt says that "by and large, the shooters are very professional". Kangaroo carcasses are inspected at processing plants by representatives of the Department of Environment and Climate Change; only kangaroos that have been killed instantly through the head can go into processing. "Kangaroos are completely free-range animals," he says. "They are all wild harvested. They aren't trucked or herded or fed meat and bone meal, as feedlot cattle often are. They're not injected with anything and no drenches are used and they mostly feed on native vegetation. [They are] a million times more free range than the most free-range eggs." But the kangaroo industry, valued about $200 million, is in a quandary: even if demand suddenly boomed, it would be difficult to meet it without redirecting some of the meat earmarked for pet food to human consumption. This is because farming roos is virtually impossible; they don't deal with confinement and easily jump fences. Moreover, landholders have little incentive to mobilise for wide-scale harvesting since, as the regulations stand, they receive virtually nothing for allowing shooters on their properties. Ampt nonetheless believes the roo market is at a tipping point. "Our research indicates that only a small proportion of Australians, about 15 per cent, are opposed to eating kangaroo. The bulk aren't opposed to it but are not exposed to it." Jean-Paul Bruneteau, native food consultant at Deep Blue Bistro in Coogee and author of Tukka: Real Australian Food, believes many people are unsure how to prepare kangaroo at home. He says it needs to be marinated in oil then seared on a very high heat. "It makes a lot of smoke - a lot of homes aren't well geared for that." He also feels the retail marketing and packaging needs work. The past 18 months has seen most major supermarket chains, including Coles and Woolworths, stock roo meat. "And there's room to grow," Ampt says. "We just have to normalise it as an everyday meat." This is exactly what Ray Borda, of Macro Meats, Australia's largest roo meat supplier, plans to do. Next year he will launch a national awareness campaign around the slogan "Eat kangaroos - it's good for you and good for the environment". "In Europe they call it 'super meat'," he says. "Kangaroos will never entirely replace beef and sheep: it's like saying crayfish will replace all seafood. But ultimately, with the right conditions, we want to get roo meat consumption up to about 8 per cent of all red meat consumed in Australia by 2010." *Sydney Morning Herald..Good Living section.5/12/07 ************************ Man to face charges A Smythedale man will be charged for illegally shooting kangaroos. The man was caught on the Ballarat-Skipton Rail Trail near Linton last week. He allegedly had a dead kangaroo in a tin box in the back of his ute. He will face several charges and may lose his firearm and licence. Kangaroos can only be legally shot on private property with a permit obtained from the Department of Sustainability and Environment. Linton Police Senior Constable Tony Walker said illegal kangaroo shooting was a major problem in the area. "It's all through the bush area," he said. "Police and the DSE are working in conjunction to reduce this type of incident occurring." In one incident nine mutilated kangaroos were found along the rail trail in November. It is believed the animals' legs are being used for dog food. "They also cut the heads off so we won't be able to work out whose firearms were used," Sen Const Walker said. It is legal for registered gun users to shoot pests all year round, and game animals in season. But native animals are protected under the Wildlife Act 1975. Illegally killing a kangaroo can carry harsh penalties including a maximum fine of $5350, and or a maximum of six months in jail. A Smythesdale man, in his early 20s, will be charged on summons with spot-lighting in a flora and fauna area and being in possession of wildlife. He will appear in the Ballarat Magistrates Court in January. For information on wildlife laws contact the DSE on 136 186. Shooting incidents can be reported to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. *Ballarat Courier 5/12/07 A new video abou tour kangaroo campaign can now be seen on the NSW Animal Lib website at http://www.animal-lib.org.au/campaigns/kangaroo-campaign.htm ************************** Bizarre allegations of animal cruelty involving Western Force players during a weekend bonding session on Rottnest Island has heaped more pressure on the scandal-hit Super 14 club. With the Force already dealing with allegations of assault and secret hush payments to a victim, the club is now answering questions about an incident with a quokka - the island's indigenous marsupial. Rottnest Island rangers said last night they would issue four unidentified Force players with $100 infringement notices for picking up a quokka - a tame animal that resembles a small wallaby. The Super 14 squad were staying at the Kingston Barracks, a former army facility on the island, as part of a bonding and training camp on Friday night when the players handled the animals. It's the latest in a series of off-field incidents involving Force players. Police are currently investigating an alleged assault by halfback Matt Henjak in Sydney, while the Force has already paid about $16,000 in an out-of-court settlement for another alleged assault involving Henjak in South Africa in 2004. Island rangers, with the assistance of West Australian police, launched an investigation into the quokka mistreatment claims which outraged the RSPCA in Western Australia. Acting senior ranger Matt Verney said it had been established Force players had picked up the protected marsupials, but they were satisfied no quokkas had been harmed. "There were no injuries to quokkas or mistreatment," Verney said. Penni Fletcher-Hughes, from the Rottnest Island Authority, said they had received reports from a backpacker that quokkas had been "interfered with" by Western Force players. "The incident was alleged to have happened on Friday and a complaint made on Saturday," she said. She said the matter was followed up with the full co-operation of Western Force. One report suggested the quokkas had been used for "hammer throwing". But this was denied by Force players. "As far as I understand the allegation was that they were holding them by the tail," Ms Fletcher-Hughes said. "That is an acceptable way to handle a quokka, but if it was throwing them around by the tail or lifting them up unnecessarily that is obviously going to cause distress." Ms Fletcher-Hughes described the quokkas as "lovely gentle creatures and very approachable". "That is why everyone gets upset if they are interfered with. They won't try and defend themselves at all," she said. After investigating the "serious allegation" yesterday, the Western Force misconduct committee was adamant no player had mistreated a quokka. "However, four players have admitted to picking up quokkas and putting them down again," the Force said. "Two of the players advised the committee they were unaware it was against regulations to pick up a quokka." Western Australia's Department of Environment and Conservation have penalties ranging from heavy fines to jail for the mistreatment of protected animals. We understand that an Inquiry is taking place. * WA news ***************************** Prehistoric Kangaroos IT'S a discovery that skips right over conventional wisdom about one of the nation's greatest icons. Australia's earliest kangaroos galloped on four legs, fossils discovered in northern Queensland indicate. Fairfax newspapers report that scientists believe the 25-million-year-old remains, dug up in Queensland in the 1990s, are from a newly discovered extinct species called nambaroo gillespieae. The nambaroo was part of an extinct kangaroo group known as the Balbaridae, which scientists believe was replaced by present-day kangaroo species. The nambaroo was about the size of a small dog, had canine fangs and was a quadruped. “This is really the great, great, great, great grandfather of modern kangaroos,” La Trobe University paleontologist Ben Kear, part of the Australian team that examined the remains, told Fairfax. The nambaroo had “big, muscly forearms” that showed it galloped or bounded like a possum, he said. “You've got this primitive kangaroo. Imagine, it's climbing low branches, bounding around the forest floor, eating fungi, eating fallen fruit,” Dr Kear said. “It's very different to what we would imagine from your average kangaroo, your Skippy on the dinner plate that you see today.” Only a few teeth and jaws of the nambaroo had been collected before the nambaroo remains were found in the renowned fossil fields of the Riversleigh world heritage area in northern Queensland. Dr Kear said the find would unlock the genesis of today's kangaroos. A paper reporting the findings is published in the latest Journal of Paleontology. *Daily Telegraph 5/12/07 ************************ STEP beyond the bullbar mentality and avoid adding to Australia's breathtaking road-kill statistics with ShuRoo ($495). Attached to the front of your car, ShuRoo creates a "forcefi eld" of sound at a frequency that's beyond human hearing but sounds like a siren to kangaroos and other wildlife. Protects humans and beasts alike. More: www.shuroo.com. *3/12/07 ******************************* Australian scientists are trying to give kangaroo-style stomachs to cattle and sheep in a bid to cut the emission of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming. Thanks to special bacteria in their stomachs, kangaroos' flatulence contains no methane and scientists want to transfer that bacteria to cattle and sheep who emit large quantities of the harmful gas. While the usual image of greenhouse gas pollution is a billowing smokestack pushing out carbon dioxide, livestock passing wind contribute a surprisingly high percentage of total emissions in some countries. Queensland Government senior research scientist Athol Klieve says 14 per cent of emissions from all sources in Australia are from enteric methane from cattle and sheep. "If you look at another country such as New Zealand, which has got a much higher agricultural base, they're actually up around 50 per cent," he said. Researchers say the bacteria also makes the digestive process much more efficient and could potentially save millions of dollars in feed costs for farmers. "Not only would they not produce the methane, they would actually get something like 10 to 15 per cent more energy out of the feed they are eating," Dr Klieve said. Even farmers who laugh at the idea of environmentally friendly kangaroo farts say that it is nothing to joke about, particularly given the devastating drought Australia is suffering. "In a tight year like a drought situation, 15 per cent [more energy] would be a considerable sum," said farmer Michael Mitton. But it will take researchers at least three years to isolate the bacteria before they can even start to develop a way of transferring it to cattle and sheep. Another group of scientists has suggested Australians farm fewer cattle and sheep and just eat more kangaroos. The idea is controversial but about 20 per cent of health-conscious Australians are believed to eat the national symbol already. Peter Ampt, from the University of New South Wales's Institute of Environmental Studies, says the meat has health benefits. "It's low in fat. It's got high protein levels. It's very clean," he said. "It doesn't get drenched. It doesn't get vaccinated. It utilises food right across the landscape. It moves around to where the food is good. It's a good food." AFP *ABC 6/12/07 Ed Comment; its a pretty sad state of affairs when the media will run with this nonsense, and we cant get a story up about the real facts behind the kangaroo Industry.
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