Australian defence force to cull kangaroos: official

Yahoo News 16 May 08;

Hundreds of kangaroos will be culled at a former naval site near the Australian capital after the defence department said plans to relocate the animals fell through.

The department called off the cull of about 400 eastern grey kangaroos earlier this year after a public outcry, but said it now had no option but to call in contractors to kill the animals.

The federal government had withdrawn support for a plan to relocate the kangaroos because it would cost millions of dollars and was not considered an effective use of taxpayers' money, the department said.

"The anticipated cost of the translocation project was estimated to be 3.5 million dollars (3.29 million US)," the department said in a statement released late Friday. "Defence has no option but to undertake a cull."

The cull is expected to begin immediately and take a few weeks but animal rights protesters said they will do all they can to save the kangaroos.

Animal Liberation spokesman Bernard Brennan said the planned slaughter had sparked anger and his group was determined to stop it going ahead.

"We'll do whatever it takes, I've made a promise to these kangaroos," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The cull is considered necessary because an overpopulation of kangaroos is damaging the environment at the Belconnen Naval Transmission Site near Canberra.

The animals will be shot with tranquilising darts and then euthanased with a lethal drug.