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Australia's commercial kangaroo industry

Australia is a vast country, home to more than 40 million kangaroos. Local and plentiful, they are part of who we are and what we eat.

All kangaroo and wallaby species are protected by law in Australia. Their populations are constantly monitored and managed by state and territory governments to ensure their survival and preserve the biodiversity of the land. For six abundant and non-threatened species including the large red and grey kangaroos, the commercial industry has emerged as the responsible alternative to conservation culling to keep numbers sustainable and ensure no meat or skins end up in landfill.

We produce high-quality kangaroo meat and leather, responsibly sourced from an open range environment where kangaroos graze on the natural pastures and foliage of the Australian bush.

Animal welfare is our priority and our skilled, licenced harvesters follow the national code of practice for the humane treatment of kangaroos. Commercial kangaroo harvesting is independently monitored and checked at every step to ensure standards are upheld. Mandatory licensing and tagging systems mean every kangaroo harvested for the commercial industry can be individually traced back to the paddock.

Australia’s commercial kangaroo harvest is one of the most sustainable wild harvest operations in the world. The industry is only permitted to harvest six abundant species in sustainable numbers as determined by annual government quotas.

The commercial industry prioritises animal welfare and uses scientifically proven methods to harvest kangaroos humanely in their natural habitat. Commercial harvesting ensures no meat or skins end up in landfill.

The commercial industry complies with all the food safety and animal welfare standards of Australia and its export markets. The industry and harvested kangaroos undergo regular third-party inspections to ensure standards are upheld at every step.

The commercial industry creates thousands of jobs for regional and rural Australia including many Indigenous Australians, helps conserve the country’s natural ecosystem and supplies the world with high-quality, responsibly sourced products.

Facts and figures

We are invested in building knowledge and awareness around kangaroo ecology and behaviour, animal welfare, best-practice wildlife management and commercial harvesting.

Our library holds scientific research from reputable and qualified academic sources as well as articles, factsheets explainer videos and more, put together by the commercial kangaroo industry and other government, agricultural and conservation groups.