Kangaroos Alive
KANGAROOS ALIVE (KA) is a nationally accredited not for profit organisation set up, by filmmakers Mick McIntyre and Kate Clere and kangaroo wildlife experts Diane Smith and Greg Keightley, as a global movement for the ethical treatment of kangaroos.
The Yuin Kangaroo Declaration is one of the most significant documents for kangaroos in history, written by our long time partner and friend Uncle Max Harrison (1936-2021). Working in partnership with the Yuin Nation at Back to Country, this Declaration is the foundation of our work. We are helping other communities adopt the Yuin declaration as a foundation for their care of kangaroos. We value our partnership with Back To Country on all things Kangaroo (Buru).
Kangaroos Alive is registered in Australia under the Corporations Act. 2001.
Kangaroos have been bounding across Australia for 15 million years. The diverse group of macropod species, collectively known as the kangaroos, are no longer widespread and thriving. Since European settlement of Australia, some have gone extinct, some are seriously threatened, and other have suffered considerable local population collapses. They have less and less land to be free from human encroachment. They are suffering fatal disease outbreaks and we don’t yet know what effect climate change will have on them.
Filmmakers Mick and Kate spent 5 years researching the treatment of kangaroos in Australia. Their award-winning documentary KANGAROO A Love-Hate Story uncovered the cruel and barbaric reality for thousands of kangaroos across the country and sparked controversy about the commercial shooting of kangaroos, their place on the land, and our relationship with them. Mick and Kate were shocked from all they learnt making the film and have committed themselves to do all they can to protect this magnificent wildlife.
From their eye-opening experience making the film they have created KANGAROOS ALIVE, a global movement for the ethical treatment of kangaroos.
KANGAROOS ALIVE is working with the whistleblowers of the film, Diane Smith and Greg Keightley who have devoted their lives to protecting kangaroos in the wild. Supporting their work in the field is essential to the survival of this species. Diane and Greg bought their rural property 10 years ago to live close to the Australian native wildlife. Their dream was to open a scientific retreat center, however within months of moving in they were awakened to the sound of gunfire. They were confronted with the commercial shooting of kangaroos on a neighboring property.
Killing kangaroos is a government-sanctioned industry that commercially kills over 1.6 million kangaroos per year for profit. This changed the entire dream for Diane and Greg.Since then, it has all been about looking after the kangaroos. Diane and Greg volunteer their time and resources to be first responders to kangaroos injured by the commercial shooters. They are also first responders to kangaroos injured in the devastating bushfires, who desperately need food, water and medical treatment.
Kangaroos Alive Affiliate Organisations
Back to Country
Animal Welfare Institute
Animals Australia
Australia Zoo
Eurogroup for Animals
GAIA - Voice of the Voiceless
IFAW - helping animals and people thrive together
LAV - Helping to improve the lives and rights of animals
Save Kangaroos on the Mornington Peninsula
World Animal Protection
Victorian Kangaroo Alliance
Scientific Advisors
Kangaroos Alive has a Scientific Advisory Panel, consisting of five scientific experts, to help us with our investigations.
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D. J. Schubert is a wildlife biologist with the Animal Welfare Institute. He a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife biology from Arizona State University in 1983. He has served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Once he returned from Africa, his professional career started with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but he soon moved on to work for a variety of non-governmental organizations including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, The Fund for Animals, and, since 2005, the Animal Welfare Institute. His current work encompasses both a variety of domestic wildlife campaigns and international wildlife issues.
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Phil is a former director of the Cetacean Assessment and Ecology Program at Marine Mammal Laboratory in Seattle, where studies range from Harbor Porpoises to Blue Whales; his own primary research interests relate to the population biology, behavioral ecology and conservation management of large whales. Phil has previously directed large whale research at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts and remains a Research Associate with the Smithsonian Institution (National Museum of Natural History) in Washington DC. He holds a Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Aberdeen (Scotland), and conducted post-doctoral work in genetics at Cambridge University and at the University of Copenhagen. Over the past thirty years, he has advised several governments and other bodies on whale research and conservation.
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Russell Leaper studied mathematics at Oxford University before joining the IFAW research vessel Song of the Whale in 1988 to study sperm whales. He initially worked on developing acoustic methods to study and count whales. His subsequent research has covered a wide range of marine mammal conservation and welfare issues with an emphasis on survey methods and population assessment. In addition to data analysis he has conducted extensive field work including several surveys to estimate abundance. Russell has been a member of the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission since 1996 and attends as a member of the UK delegation. He has authored over 50 scientific publications and presented more than 60 papers at international conferences. He also has an MSc in Marine Resource Development and Protection from Heriot-Watt University.
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Vass is a marine biologist who has worked for WWF (studying sperm whales in the Indian Ocean), IUCN (preparing a coastal zone management plan for the Sultanate of Oman), The International Fund for Animal Welfare (primarily addressing the problem of commercial whaling but also other threats to whales), and the Pew Foundation (producing a plan to address shark conservation issues in 12 countries which were chosen through a screening process). He co-organised a symposium on the culling of wild mammals which was sponsored by the UK Mammal Society and IFAW, and hosted by the Zoological Society of London. He has published approximately 25 scientific papers in a variety of journals and attended International Whaling Commission meetings for approximately 25 years. He has a long standing interest in the use of science to resolve policy debates regarding the exploitation of wild species. A list of relevant publications is available on request.
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Claire Galea is a senior biostatistician and impact analyst for a large Not-for-profit who specialises in analysing population trends over time. She holds a Masters degree in Epidemiology from the University of Queensland and is also a mathematician currently undertaking her PhD in Cognitive Science with Macquarie University. Over the last 25 years Claire has provided statistical consultation on government research projects, for universities, hospitals and not for profit organisations. Claire has over fifty peer reviewed publications and her current work involves analysing macropod, crocodile and duck data.
Other Kangaroo Friendly Organisations
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Legislation that protects kangaroos, wallabies and other macropods is urgently required. We must work to counter the misinformation from those with commercial interests so that kangaroos are valued for their intrinsic worth. We must help maintain their basic needs, instead of seeing them as resources or pests.
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Animal Liberation has been working towards stopping the slaughter of Kangaroos for many years. In 2009 they commissioned Dr Ben-Ami to do a toxicology study on the bodies of commercially shot kangaroos. Now they are campaigning to amend the Biodiversity Conservation Act (2016), to prohibit the issue of licences under that Act.
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The Alliance for Animals is a national charity leading a strategic alliance of Australia’s key animal protection organisations to create systemic change for animals.
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The Australian Society for Kangaroos endeavours to represent all species of kangaroos and wallabies across Australia and internationally, and protect them from unnecessary suffering, killing, orphaning and extinction.
“One of the world's most unique marsupials and treasured Australian icon is the victim of the largest and most barbaric wildlife slaughters in the world.“
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The Australian Wildlife Protection Council (AWPC) is today a non-profit wildlife education organisation and registered charity founded in 1969. The Australian Wildlife Protection Council was founded with the aim to protect our native animals from cruelty and exploitation, for their intrinsic worth and because they are globally unique.
Two books published by the AWPC in the 1990s offer a documentary, contemporary history record of Australia’s destructive relationship with the kangaroo as the standout case of relationships with indigenous wildlife. These books contain the voices of biologists and veterinarian, investigative journalists, international and domestic wildlife campaigners, an ex-shooter and also the words of ordinary citizens confronted with what was going on in Australia. And still is.
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Australia’s Kangaroo is an organisation that is focusing on education and creating awareness of the plight of our kangaroos.
They say “For far too long the truth about the Commercial Kangaroo Industry has been cloaked in secrecy and hidden behind a facade of sustainability which is sanctioned by the Australian Government. There is more awareness by people from overseas about the dire plight our Kangaroos are in than there is by the Australian people.“
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What is a total ethics fashion system?
Coined by Collective Fashion Justice founder Emma Håkansson, a total ethics fashion system is one which prioritises life and wellbeing for all, before profit and production.
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IKPA is an alliance of non-government groups and experts committed to increasing the visibility both nationally and internationally about kangaroos and their need for greater protection. We envision a future where kangaroos are respected for their intrinsic worth and valued for their important contribution to ecosystems and society. A world where kangaroos and people coexist.
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Several years ago Nikki and Scott Medwell moved to a 60-acre bush property in Elphinstone, Victoria. From the first day, they were greeted by the resident kangaroo mob. “We need to learn about kangaroos,” Nikki remarked to her husband that day. And so the journey began. Soon after moving in, they found themselves caring for their very first orphaned joey named Mr Boo.
Mr Boo had been found standing next to his mother’s lifeless body. She had been shot and killed and little Boo who was less than 2kg at the time was left helpless and alone. Once Mr Boo came into Nikki and Scott’s full time care and they were able to experience first hand the incredible nature and intelligence of kangaroos, a commitment was made to do everything in their power to protect them. A commitment they live by every day at Red Box Wildlife Shelter.
With a property devoted entirely to native bushland and dedicated to wildlife, Red Box Wildlife Shelter focuses on rescuing, rehabilitating, raising and releasing native animals in need. Their primary focus is the Eastern Grey Kangaroo however they do take in all wildlife and move them onto specialist carers if needed.”
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Kangaroos exert only 2 to 5% of total grazing pressure in Australia.
We should be worrying about the damage being caused by 95 to 98% grazing pressure instead of shooting our remaining wild life
Ray Mjadwesch
Conservation Biologist/Ecologist
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What we have discovered as we investigate our world through camera lens, authorship and project research, is just how bad the decline in wildlife populations has been in the fifty or so years we have been working internationally. Planet Earth is now a very different place and the vast array of species that exist on our planet have fewer and fewer places of safety.
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Wild 2 Free is a registered charity run by volunteers. The wildlife at Wild 2 Free consist of both wild born animals, and rescued kangaroos and wallabies and their offspring, who are rehabilitated and released. We run a wildlife release site, raise orphaned joeys and help non-native animals we come across who require assistance.
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KANGAROOS
Almost 90 million kangaroos and wallabies have been killed for their meat and skins over the last 30 years. It is the largest commercial slaughter of land-based wildlife in the world.
Voiceless envisions a just, equitable world where animals can flourish.
Of Special Interest
We respect and honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and future.
We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on this land and commit to building a brighter future together.
Indigenous Australians are advised that this website may include images or names of people now deceased.
