28 November 2011:

The Queensland government has been accused of bumping up the states kangaroo numbers after reporting implausible increases for its 2011 surveys. The alleged increases have led to Queensland’s kill quotas rising by a whopping 70% to 3 million kangaroos for 2012, raising concern about the threat to kangaroo populations.

According to Australian Society for Kangaroos, the newly released kangaroo data recorded unrealistic increases in Queensland’s kangaroo
and wallaroo populations of up to 300% in some regions in just 12 months. ASK President Nikki Sutterby said “the increases of 100%, 200% and 300% that were recorded in some areas are statistically and physiologically impossible based on kangaroo reproductive biology. Kangaroos can produce only one joey per year.”

“The discrepancies have raised eyebrows about whether the data is being manipulated to suit political and commercial agendas, such as the potential reopening of the export market to Russia”. Ms Sutterby said.

“What’s disturbing is that wallaroos have completely disappeared in some areas, and across most of Queensland kangaroos remain critical at less than five per sq km. That’s less than five kangaroos for every 200 football fields”

“Also only half the state was surveyed this year, meaning that the numbers for the other half of the state are unknown. Nevertheless the Queensland government has increased its annual kill quota by an astonishing 70% to 3 million kangaroos for 2012,” Ms Sutterby said.

“We are calling for an urgent independent inquiry into the methodology for the 2011 surveys and the 2012 kangaroo kill quotas, which if overinflated could wipe out Queensland’s kangaroos”.