Kangaroos Alive
KANGAROOS ALIVE (KA) is a nationally accredited not for profit organisation set up, by Filmmakers Mick McIntyre and Kate McIntyre Clere and kangaroo carers Diane Smith and Greg Keightley, as a global movement for the ethical treatment of kangaroos. 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.
The release of the movie, Kangaroo: A Love-Hate Story, has sparked controversy and discussion about the shooting of kangaroos, their place on the land, and our relationship with them.
KA is a global movement working to protect kangaroos.
Yuin Declaration for Kangaroos - see backtocountry.org.au
Click here to go to KA’s Yuin Declaration Page
“Kangaroos continue to be a sacred totem for First Nations People. From navigating as the geographical compass, food source, companion and friend, providing warmth and implements, kangaroo is central to ceremony. For over 80,000 years this sentient being continues to be entwined and interwoven with indigenous totemic lore. We declare that there exists a living ancestral relationship, uniquely bound between indigenous Australians and kangaroos, which shall be preserved historically, spiritually, culturally and environmentally for all times.” - (click to open yuin jpeg).
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Yuin Declaration for Kangaroos
World Kangaroo Day October 24th
Article 1
The kangaroo has inhabited the Australian continent for over 20 million years, living in peace and ecological harmony. The kangaroo co-exits today as they have for millenniums, in balance with the flora, fauna and livings being of this land. This ancient iconic native animal, therefore claims sovereign rights above and beyond any human claims of dominion over them. Today we declare, from this day forward, all kangaroos shall be justly protected from all harms caused by human abuse and exploitation. We vow to hold governments and their citizenry accountable for any breaches of this sovereignty.
Article 2.
Kangaroos are intelligent, sentient beings, living in family groups and have their own songlines, language, culture and dreaming. As they traverse their own dreaming tracks they continue to activate the earths songlines for the survival of all living things. We declare kangaroos have the right to live in safety, roam freely and travel uninterrupted through their ancient songlines.Article 3.
We recognize that kangaroos continue to be a sacred totem for First Nation People. From navigating as the geographical compass, food source, companion and friend, providing warmth and implements, kangaroo is central to ceremony. For over 80,000 years this sentient being continues to be entwined and interwoven with indigenous totemic lore. We declare that there exists a living ancestral relationship, uniquely bound between indigenous Australians and kangaroos, which shall be preserved historically, spiritually, culturally and environmentally for all times.Article 4.
Kangaroos have been acknowledged as the symbol for colonised Australia since 1773. They are observed on the Coat of Arms, and have become the central national icon. The kangaroos abounding power, majestic movement, and soft and gentle elegance has given this landscape its unique character.We recognise and honour the stately demeanor of the kangaroo, which embodies and represents the nations’ icon. We vow to revere and respect these profound qualities which enrich all lives with imagination, beauty and identity uniquely Australian.Article 5.
We are beholden to protect and care for our unique native kangaroos as part of the Australian Family of all living beings. Therefore we declare the kangaroo as one
of our national treasures.Article 6.
We recognize that kangaroos are protected by law across both Federal and State jurisdictions. No exemptions to these laws are justified. Kangaroos shall not be sold or subjected to any inhumane, cruel or degrading treatment. Any harm to kangaroos shall be recognized as a criminal action and dealt with accordingly.Article 7.
As humane beings, sharing the kangaroos dreaming tracks and environment, we have a duty of care and obligation to canonize WORLD KANGAROO DAY for the kangaroo our Australian national treasure.Uncle Max Dulumunmun Harrison. Yuin Elder
Date of Issue: 24/10/2021
The Site
The ‘Mission’ page describes the reasons why the ‘Kangaroos Alive’ organisation and website exists. This includes why kangaroos are important to first nations people and why kangaroos are threatened.
The ‘About Roos’ page gives a history and types of Kangaroos in Australia, their status as a keystone species and gentle sentient beings, their close links with Aboriginal people, the functioning of the mobs with their complex social structure and the well worn and trusted migratory pathways
The ‘Media’ page contains descriptions of the films by Mick and Kate, Press Releases, Open Letters, Submissions, Newsletters and Blogs
The ‘Rescue’ pages describes the progress on Greg and Diane’s Kangaroo Sanctuary and Research Centre, the progress of rescued kangaroos and joeys, the problems faced by Kangaroo Carers and links to other carers around the country.
The ‘Campaigns’ page covers progress on the 'Kangaroos Alive not Pet Food' Campaign and the world wide 'Kangaroos are not shoes' campaign and the ‘Ban kangaroo products’ in Europe, USA, Russia Campaign. It also covers the progress in getting Legal protection for kangaroos in Australia through the NSW Senate Enquiry, the National Enquiry and the Scientific Advisory Panel
The 'Events' page covers activities for World Kangaroo Day, public action like Rallys and Political Action like Animal Activists as a political candidates
The 'About Us' page introduces Mick & Kate and Greg & Diane
The ‘Donate’ page shows what you can do to financially support the development of the Kangaroo Sanctuary and Research Centre and/or support rescued kangaroos and/or joeys
Kangaroos Alive Home Page has the aims of our organisation, a description of the pages on this website, our affiliate organisations, our scientific advisors, links to other pro-kangaroo organisations and our acknowledgement of aboriginal sovereignty.
Kangaroos Alive Affiliate Organisations
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The Animal Welfare Institute is an American non-profit charitable organization founded by Christine Stevens in 1951 with the goal of reducing suffering inflicted on animals by humans. It is one of the oldest animal welfare organizations in the US.
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Humane Society International Australia is the Australian branch of Humane Society International, an offshoot of the international animal protection organisation, The Humane Society of the United States.
Only 11.5% of the Australian landmass has some form of security as a protected area, so we have one of the worst records for mammal extinctions and near extinctions of any developed country.
HSI Australia has a wildlife Trust which lists properties around the country that have the primary aim of wildlife preservation
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Oceania is home to some of the most diverse wildlife on the planet. It’s also home to some of wildlife’s greatest dangers. As a result, it has one of the highest mammal extinction rates in the world. From our office in Sydney, we’re working to protect animals from these threats, especially rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing wildlife after natural disasters strike.
Scientific Advisors
Kangaroos Alive has a Scientific Advisory Panel, consisting of four 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.
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 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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Back to Country is an Aboriginal organisation teaching, maintaining and holding ancient culture to bring people spiritually, physically and mentally back to country through projects and activities passing on knowledge and connection to environment and country.
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The Centre for Humane Economy is a USA based organisation who is helping us to stop the slaughter of Kangaroos. In 2019 they discovered that Nike’s etc producing k-skin soccer boots was driving the slaughter of over 1.5million kangaroos a year. In 2020 they started the ‘Kangaroos are not shoes’ Campaign.
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Emma Hurst MP is a vegan, an animal advocate, and your representative for animal rights in NSW Parliament. Emma is Deputy Chair of the Legislative Council’s Industry (which includes animal agribusiness) and Health Committees.
As a member of the Animal Justice Party, Emma represents animals and people from across NSW. She is passionate about listening to your concerns and making sure animals stay at the top of the parliamentary agenda.
With your support, Emma is putting New South Wales on the path to a kind and sustainable future for animals and humans alike.
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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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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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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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The Hon. Mark Pearson, NSW MLC for the Animal Justice Party. Mark is the first person in Australia to be elected to parliament on an animal protection platform.
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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.
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.
Of Special Interest
