❓ A parliamentary question addresses the control of macropods (kangaroos and euros) in the Mid-West region of WA, specifically regarding tagging systems and open seasons. The response clarifies regulations for commercial and non-commercial culling, research efforts, and population estimates.
AnsweredQoN 1986Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the control of macropods by shooting and the use of tags to control the number of animals killed and ask: (a) in the Mid-West, does a tagging system apply to the shooting of: (i) Western Grey Kangaroos; (ii) Red Kangaroos; and (iii) Euros; (b) if there is no tag required for the shooting of any of these species, why not; (c) is there currently an ‘open season’ on Euros; (d) is the reason for the ‘open season’ on Euros because the Department of Parks and Wildlife hasn’t got sufficient information to determine what the correct shooting level should be; (e) what research has been used to understand Euro population number is the Mid-West region; (f) what is the current population level; and (g) how much is this above or below the natural population level?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
6 May 2014
Responded by
Minister for Environment
Response time
47 days
(a)-(b) Royalty tags are required to be attached to all kangaroo carcasses that have been harvested for commercial purposes throughout Western Australia. However, under licence or the provisions of open season notices declared under the
Wildlife Conservation Act 1950
. Red kangaroos, western grey kangaroos and euros may be culled for non-commercial purposes, without a requirement to tag carcasses, on farmland or leasehold land where they are causing damage or may reasonably be expected to cause damage to primary production.
(c) Under the provisions of an open season notice declared under the
Wildlife Conservation Act 1950
euros may be culled without a licence in prescribed local government areas, and subject to certain restrictions on farmland or leasehold land where they are causing damage, or may be reasonably expected to cause damage, to primary production.
(d) No
(e) There has been a considerable body of research into the biology and ecology of the larger species of macropods in Australia, including the euro. While no research has been undertaken in the Midwest region specifically, research into the ecology and physiology of euros has been undertaken in the Pilbara and Wheatbelt regions of Western Australia as well as in other Australian jurisdictions.
(f) A precise figure is unknown, but euros are widespread, common and locally abundant over much of Australia and would number in the hundreds of thousands on a statewide basis.
(g) Kangaroo numbers fluctuate naturally according to environmental conditions such as rainfall.
Wildlife Conservation Act 1950
. Red kangaroos, western grey kangaroos and euros may be culled for non-commercial purposes, without a requirement to tag carcasses, on farmland or leasehold land where they are causing damage or may reasonably be expected to cause damage to primary production.
(c) Under the provisions of an open season notice declared under the
Wildlife Conservation Act 1950
euros may be culled without a licence in prescribed local government areas, and subject to certain restrictions on farmland or leasehold land where they are causing damage, or may be reasonably expected to cause damage, to primary production.
(d) No
(e) There has been a considerable body of research into the biology and ecology of the larger species of macropods in Australia, including the euro. While no research has been undertaken in the Midwest region specifically, research into the ecology and physiology of euros has been undertaken in the Pilbara and Wheatbelt regions of Western Australia as well as in other Australian jurisdictions.
(f) A precise figure is unknown, but euros are widespread, common and locally abundant over much of Australia and would number in the hundreds of thousands on a statewide basis.
(g) Kangaroo numbers fluctuate naturally according to environmental conditions such as rainfall.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.