Johanna Report post Posted July 26, 2007 July 25, 2007 Ban on Kangaroo Hides Puzzles Australians Here By REGAN MORRISLOS ANGELES, July 24  Although bald eagle on the menu would seem unthinkable in the United States, in Australia the formerly endangered kangaroo is commonly found as barbecued kebabs or stir fried with vegetables.When the California Supreme Court on Monday effectively banned the sale of kangaroo leather soccer shoes in deciding a lawsuit, Australians here asked why. “Kangaroos are like rabbits in Australia,†said Kalee StClair, who is from Sydney and has lived here for more than four years. “They’re not protected at all, and it’s actually encouraged to kill them. “I guess they are really cute. And California is a sucker for a cute animal. Look at how people dress their dogs here.†Kangaroo-skin shoes are preferred by soccer players hoping to bend it like Beckham, although David Beckham switched to a synthetic alternative last year under pressure from animal rights groups. The shoes, including the Adidas Predator, are generally more expensive at $200 a pair than ordinary soccer shoes, and athletes say the shoes add mobility and comfort. Kangaroo skin was banned in California in 1971 to protect the animals. As the kangaroo is no longer endangered, Adidas said the ban conflicted with federal policies intended to help Australia manage its kangaroo population. A spokeswoman for the company, Andrea Corso, said it did not consider the ruling as an order to stop selling the shoes in California. She said the company would continue selling the shoes until all the questions in the suit had been settled. The Australian consul general here, Innes Willox, said he had been working in Sacramento to have a law passed to allow kangaroo products. Animal rights activists say threatened species are killed during culls along with overpopulated species. Mr. Willox says the threatened species are much smaller than the overpopulated kangaroos culled each year. “At any time the kangaroo population is between 15 million and 50 million, and that’s largely contingent on climatic conditions,†Mr. Willox said. “Drought at the moment is having a major impact on the population. “They are half of our national symbol. So we are not about to do anything to endanger them. We recognize our responsibility.†The other half of the symbol is the emu, which like the kangaroo is known for not being able to walk backward, Mr. Willox said. The animal rights group that sued Adidas, Viva, says millions of kangaroos are killed every year in “what is widely regarded as the largest wildlife massacre on the planet.†A lawyer for Viva, Orly Degani, said she planned to seek an injunction to force Adidas to stop selling the shoes. Ms. Degani also said she would encourage Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. of California to prosecute Adidas. A spokesman for Mr. Brown, Gareth Lacy, said that it would be premature to decide on the next steps and that officials were studying the case. Leigh Broadbent, an Australian producer who lives here, said he supported animal rights groups, but not protecting kangaroos. “They have an annual cull of kangaroos, or maybe biannual, to keep the numbers down to protect the ecosystem,†Mr. Broadbent said. “Why not? What’s the big issue in California?†Jason Bottrell, an Australian entrepreneur based in Long Beach, said he grew up playing soccer in kangaroo-skin shoes. “Without the cull,†Mr. Bottrell said, “the kangaroos would starve to death.†Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolvenstien Report post Posted July 26, 2007 (edited) Send all the cool folks to reno and Las Vagas for vacation.... leave all the idiots there and just bomb the state.... let it fall off into the ocean.... and we'd all be better off.... I got some potential ocean view property in Nevada for sale.... Edited July 26, 2007 by wolvenstien Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barra Report post Posted July 26, 2007 Ill informed dribble by uneducated rabble. We need to educate Kangaroos to stop breeding in times of drought so they don't die a horrible death by starvation. Barra Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Billsotx Report post Posted July 26, 2007 Just sell them "Bick4" it's a nice finish and it'll take care of them. It says on the label on the backside of the can that it is know to cause cancer in California, as well as, birth defects and other health problems. Does Al Gore live in CA? Luckily the rest of us are safe ... lol! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Major Report post Posted July 26, 2007 Just sell them "Bick4" it's a nice finish and it'll take care of them. It says on the label on the backside of the can that it is know to cause cancer in California, as well as, birth defects and other health problems. Does Al Gore live in CA? Luckily the rest of us are safe ... lol! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kanga Report post Posted July 26, 2007 While I am no expert on the roo laws I can say this person got it way wrong. “Kangaroos are like rabbits in Australia,†said Kalee StClair, who is from Sydney and has lived here for more than four years. “They’re not protected at all, and it’s actually encouraged to kill them. What a load of codswhallop! They are protected, you cant even skin a road kill & get it tanned or chop off it's leg to feed to the dogs unless you did it yourself & you better not get caught. As far as I know the roos that are shot are the red kangaroo mainly in Qld. & a species in WA might be the Western Grey??. It's supposedly quite controlled. All roos shot have to be tagged to prove it was legally killed/culled. It is certainly not a willy nilly slaughter. Sadly in Victoria a few years ago they were in plague proportions at Puckapunyal & there was a massive cull, about 15,000 I believe. Because they are protected the bodies were just buried in a mass hole. Now that was criminal in my book. What a waste!! For the ones in Qld & whatever States they're legally culled from the meat is sold in our supermarkets for human consumption. The laws dont make sense (to me anyway). I can only buy legally tanned roo, I get it mostly from Packers in Qld BUT for me to sell stuff OS I am supposed to payfor a licence (it's costs alot too) to prove I only use legally culled roo. I would have to sell an awful lot to recoup the cost of the licence. What would paying money for a licence really prove anyway, the tanners can only sell legally culled roo anyway, grrrrrr it's just stupid. Linda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolvenstien Report post Posted July 27, 2007 Linda, Thank you. it is nice to hear from the area being talked about.... gives a better perspective. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barra Report post Posted July 27, 2007 (edited) How the Kangaroo Industry Works: http://www.kangaroo-industry.asn.au/industry.html http://www.kangaroo-industry.asn.au/morinfo/BACKGR1.HTM Barra Edited July 27, 2007 by barra Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kanga Report post Posted July 27, 2007 They might be protected in Victoria but they're not endangered, this pretty girl is in my paddock right now! I took this about an hour ago just outside the back gate, she is in my horse paddock. Linda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolvenstien Report post Posted July 27, 2007 lol.... too funny! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
