DID YOU KNOW?
Each female kangaroo shot usually has two dependent joeys, one in the pouch and one at foot. Both joeys also die when the mother is killed. The dependent ex-pouch joey flees in terror when it's mother is killed, and dies of exhaustion and exposure.
The Code of Practice that the Industry operates under recommends that in-pouch joeys (baby kangaroos) be decapitated, or have their heads crushed with a heavy object such as an iron pipe. No other baby animal in the world, except perhaps the harp seals, are treated this way.
The ACT government killed more than 400 joeys in their mothers' pouches during Canberra's controversial annual cull last year.
In official documents released under freedom of information laws, the Department of Territory and Municipal Services (TAMS) has conceded the official number of 1154 animals destroyed in the conservation cull in May and June last year did not include 407 "in pouch young".
The cull claimed 658 female and 496 male kangaroos in six nature reserves around the capital, including "at-foot" joeys - those old enough to have left their mothers' pouches.
Animal Liberation ACT, which leads the annual protests against the cull, accused the government of "keeping quiet" the number of in-pouch young for fear of public backlash.
Kangaroo culling, Australia's Dirty Secret!
1/ Prime Minister Julia Gillard...
2/ Territory and Municipal Services...
3/ Victorian Premier - Ted Baillieu...
Office of the Premier
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