Kangaroos are revered in Australia. The lovable hopper appears with an emu on the country’s Commonwealth Coat of Arms, a 1912-era seal that identifies the authority of the government and its courts, and appears on Australian passports, government buildings and some 50-cent coins. Now, kangaroos are a problem in Australia -- populations have gone from 27 million in 2010 to 45 million in 2016, and ecologists are concerned. To help cull their numbers, they suggest Australians develop a taste for kangaroo, rather than let the meat go to waste.
Imagine eating bald eagles:
- A decade of wet conditions throughout Australia has fueled the population explosion. Humans also helped by eliminating several natural predators, such as the dog-like thylacine.
- There are twice as many kangaroos as people in Australia. Many Australian states have implemented controversial quotas and regulations for humane culling of the animals, but it’s been a hard sell.
- Proponents of kangaroo hunting say kangaroo meat is lower in fat than traditional beef, or other livestock. Their hides are good sources of leather.
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More Info: BBC
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Indigenous Australians have been eating kangaroo for 60,000 years. Modern Australians have also been eating kangaroo for many years. Supermarkets stock kangaroo steaks and sausages in the same display cases as other red meat such as beef. It's delicious as long as it's not overcooked. Kangaroo meat is also a major ingredient in Australian pet food.
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