KANGA WATCH
WHO WE ARE
KANGA WATCH evolved when several like minded wildlife carers from Victoria became involved with a Facebook page
‘Stop issuing permits to kill next to wildlife shelters’. https://www.facebook.com/groups/881660225258096/
The Facebook page was originally created in response to the Victorian state government issuing Authority To Control Wildlife
(ATCW )destruction permits next door to wildlife shelters and wildlife rehabilitators. These permits allow hand reared and released wildlife to be shot by an adjoining property owner without any notification or consultation with the shelter.
The same department that issues the permits to kill is the same department that issues permits to shelters to care and raise orphaned
and injured wildlife which is an unbelievable conflict of interest.
The Facebook page very soon morphed into a ‘closed group’ that was extremely concerned and took action against an initiative by the Victorian Government in response to pressure from farmers and local shires regarding what they saw as ‘plagues of Kangaroos’ that
were supposedly eating all their grass, drinking their water and causing damage to their fences. This initiative was known as the
DEPI - Kangaroo Pet Food Trial.
Initially there were five people who had made contact with each other through the Facebook page and found that they all had a
passion for Macropods and were deeply troubled about the millions of Kangaroos and Wallaroos also known as Euros that were being slaughtered every year for the Commercial Kangaroo Industry.
They first met each other face to face at a meeting they organised in Bendigo. Here they decided to form a not-for-profit group and become a registered Association and KANGA WATCH Inc. was born.
Their pledge was to achieve legislative change to ensure the survival of our unique Kangaroos which they all truly believe would be
extinct by 2050 if the mass slaughter every year was allowed to continue with no real opposition.
They also determined there was an urgent need to dispel the myths and misinformation about Kangaroos and to do this the Australian public would need to be re-educated with the truth. The scientific research undertaken by those with a vested interest in the
commercial kangaroo industry didn’t escape the scrutiny of the group. Everyone at the meeting had all read extensively about the
industry and saw the glaring incompatibility between the research undertaken by those who had a pecuniary interest and those who
did not.
Who we are and what we want to achieve is a work in progressbut there is an ongoing shared determination to succeed.
The background picture featured on most of our pages is a pen and ink drawing of an Eastern Grey Kangaroo.
This beautiful piece of art was created by Scott Woyak who has generously allowed us to use it free of charge
Thank you Scott