-Kelly-

Kangaroos may get contraceptive pill
Wednesday Aug 23 20:09 AEST

They've been shot and captured for years, but the latest weapon in attempts to control kangaroo populations is the humble contraceptive pill.

The ACT government and Newcastle University researchers are working to develop an oral contraceptive for eastern grey kangaroos, designed to be a more humane way of controlling their numbers.

Oral contraceptives are already being used in the United States to control white tailed deer populations near urban areas.

The species-specific contraceptives would be put in baits laid near eastern grey grazing areas.

Kangaroos have become a pest as a long-term drought has forced them into urban areas in search of food.

They often cause car accidents and have been known to disembowel or drown pet dogs.

ACT Territory and Municipal Services Minister John Hargreaves said assessments were being carried out on natural breeding cycles for eastern greys around the territory.

"In the coming weeks another research population will be set up in the empty former kangaroo display area at Tidbinbilla," Mr Hargreaves said.

"It is hoped that eventually the kangaroos will be administered with the fertility control agent through their food."

But an ecologist working with the Newcastle University researchers said it was not as simple as "spreading contraceptives on the grass", as ultra-violet light would attack the chemicals and deplete the treatment's efficiency.

Kangaroos' acidic stomachs also posed problems for researchers, senior Environment ACT ecologist Don Fletcher told AAP.

"You have to have some way of having your drugs taken up before or without getting broken down (in the stomach)," he said.

"And then another challenge is getting a sufficient proportion of kangaroos to eat the bait, or the food that the drug is in."

The contraceptive baits would be placed in open grassy areas at certain times where only eastern greys grazed, Mr Fletcher said.

ACT Animal Liberation supported the idea of an oral contraceptive to control kangaroo populations, saying it was better than using guns.

"Australia is the largest wildlife slaughterer in the world, we're killing more wildlife than anyone," spokeswoman Simone Gray said.

"Fertility control is a sensible alternative for stopping the slaughter."

Source


I agree with the pill, it's better than killing them

SMG_fan

It's much better then killing them. I still have trouble with the fact that we even eat our national emblems let alone hunting them.

They should try and do something like that with the cane toad as well, it would work much better than what they're doing now, I would think so anyway, 'cause at the minute they're just spreading everywhere and nothing seems to stop them.



Belinda

Lain

Better the contraceptive than Bob Barker's way of controlling the pet population. I think we know how that goes

migamoo

I agree with this. It's a more humane way of controlling the population than killing them or steralizing them. But the question is, are they sure it's going to work?