The Kangaroo Survey!Call for Australians to voice their opinion in the National Kangaroo Survey!
The kangaroo may be an Australian icon which unites the country in sporting battle, however when it comes to managing its population there appears to be as many views as there are roos and this is making their effective management difficult.
A unique study has been launched to survey Australian views of their most famous national animal with the results used to help shape future management plans for kangaroos.
PhD candidate, Pip Chalk from the University of Western Sydney’s School of Natural Sciences has created the online kangaroo survey as part of a study into the ‘human dimensions’ of roos. 
Unlike many official reviews of kangaroo management plans which mostly attract interest from those with the strongest views and closest connection to kangaroo management, this internet-based kangaroo survey is designed to capture the widest diversity of Australian views and voices.
“The relationship between the Australian people and the kangaroo has traditionally been complex and is an on-going challenge for agencies charged with managing wildlife, ecosystems and agricultural land,” says Ms Chalk.
She says better capturing of community views and greater communication between stakeholders could take the heat out of the kangaroo debate.
“Kangaroos polarise opinions and this makes them very difficult to successfully manage.”
“A kangaroo bounding across the Australian landscape can inspire awe, but for people who are adversely affected by its adaptability and prolific breeding it can represent a threat to the local environment. For some, the roo is a natural resource to be harvested and under the law it’s a native Australian animal that is protected.”
In the kangaroo survey, participants are asked how the kangaroo makes them feel, what the animal means to the nation, their views on protection, culling and harvesting roos as a resource for food and other products.
The survey even includes a question about the television series that has become as iconic as the animal itself, ‘Skippy the Bush Kangaroo’.
“Despite the place of the kangaroo in the Australian folklore and contemporary society, there is surprisingly little research into the attitudes and perceptions of Australians towards the animal. However, there is a growing international trend to collect data on community views of wild animals and use this to defuse tension between interest groups and help shape management plans which are more effective for the community and environment as a whole.”
To participate in the survey visit:
Regards, Pip Chalk , B.Sci.(Hons); B.App.Sci (EnviroMgnt, PhD Candidate University of Western Sydney, School of Natural Sciences, Building K8, Hawkesbury Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Sth Penrith DC, NSW 1797 Australia Email:p.chalk@uws.edu.au, Ph:+61 2 4570 1637, Fax:+61 2 4570 1750 Mob:0466 110 187
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