Harvesting macropods in Queensland
Macropod (which means big foot) is a term used to describe marsupials in the family Macropodidae. Kangaroos, wallabies, wallaroos and many other hopping marsupials are all macropods. Macropods or kangaroos are a particularly important group of animals to First Nations people.
In Queensland the sustainable harvesting of macropods for commercial purposes is strictly regulated.
Commercial harvesting of animals involves taking animals from the wild for a commercial purpose. Commercially harvested macropods are used to produce high quality leather, fur and meat products.
Queensland’s Macropod Management Program aims to ensure the conservation of the species and their habitat in a way that supports ecologically sustainable harvesting.
This is done by monitoring the population, setting the harvest quotas and overall management of the harvest.
There are three species that can be sustainably harvested in Queensland:
- red kangaroo Osphranter rufus
- grey kangaroo Macropus giganteus
- wallaroo Osphranter robustus.
* (When we refer to macropods, we are referring to these three species).
These species are found in large numbers throughout Queensland and Australia and are not listed as threatened or endangered under state or federal laws.
Western grey kangaroos Macropus fuliginosus cannot be harvested in Queensland. However, this species can be mistaken for the eastern grey kangaroo, which can be harvested. Find out how to tell the difference between the eastern and western grey kangaroo.
Animal welfare
The National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Commercial Purposes explains how to humanely harvest macropods and minimise the potential for pain and suffering.
The code sets an achievable standard of humane conduct and is the minimum required of persons harvesting kangaroos and wallabies. Adherence to the code is a requirement under the Queensland Wildlife Trade Management Plan for Export—Commercially Harvested Macropods 2022–2027 and ensures humane take requirements are met under the Nature Conservation (Macropod) Conservation Plan 2017. All harvesters must complete an accreditation program to demonstrate their competency to meet the code.