The 2025 South Australian commercial kangaroo quota report was released to the public on 6 January 2025. The South Australian Department for Environment and Water wants the public to believe that after 50 years of commercial harvest, at least 3 severe long-term droughts and a significant decrease in rainfall since 1970, Red Kangaroo numbers are now the highest on record across most of South Australia. Government figures suggest that the number of Red Kangaroos has increased from 1,178,888 in 2020 to 2,975,551 in 2024 – an increase of 152% in 5 years! The statewide population estimate and the commercial “kill” quota are now the highest on record!
South Australia is driving the Red Kangaroo to extinction and hiding the fact by creating record-breaking population estimates. The 80% decline in the annual harvest DOES NOT suggest record-breaking numbers.
The record-breaking Red Kangaroo numbers reported by the South Australian Department for Environment and Water are biologically impossible, especially as rainfall since the year 2000 has been below average to the lowest on record in many parts of South Australia.
Wildlife density is the number of animals in a specific area. The density of Red Kangaroos is the number of kangaroos per square kilometre. If the density is 3.00 – then the density is 3 kangaroos per square kilometre.
The density of Red Kangaroos in Kingoonya is now 11.60. The average long-term density (as of 2023) is 4.80. The density of 11.60 is the highest on record – and more than double the long-term average. The population estimate increased from 354,319 in 2020 to 841,531 in 2024. The 2024 population estimate is the highest on record, which means that the 2025 quota is the highest on record.
The following graph shows the annual density of Red Kangaroos in the Kingoonya harvest zone since 1978. The population estimate fluctuated during the Millennium Drought (2001-2009). Red Kangaroo numbers crash during drought. The ‘bust’ cycle is a proven scientific fact. However, Red Kangaroo densities in Kingoonya were very similar in 2002 and 2008, as if a decade-long drought had little – if any -impact on these miraculous Red Kangaroos. The lowest density during the Millennium Drought was in 2003. The Department for Environment and Water alleged that Red Kangaroo numbers in the Kingoonya harvest zone increased during drought – which is impossible!
After the 2017-2020 drought, Red Kangaroos reached the highest density on record within 4 years – a density 142% greater than the long-term average. Such a quick, massive, record-breaking recovery post-drought is impossible!
The ‘boom and bust’ population cycle is a myth. Kangaroos are a ‘bust’ species, but they take many years to recover after drought.[i][ii]
The density of Red Kangaroos in the North Flinders harvest zone is now 18.20. The average long-term density (as of 2023) is 7.04. The density of 18.20 is the highest on record – and more than double the long-term average. The population estimate increased from 165,493 in 2021 to 630,120 in 2024 – an increase of 281% in 3 years!
The following graph shows the annual density of Red Kangaroos in the North Flinders harvest zone since 1978. The population estimate declined to historic lows during the Millennium Drought (2001-2009). The Department for Environment and Water claims that Red Kangaroos in the North Flinders harvest zone recovered to pre-drought numbers within 2 years – a biologically impossible increase.
The following decade brought about record-breaking numbers. The drought of 2017-2020 caused a decline in Red Kangaroo numbers in the North Flinders harvest zone. After the Millennium Drought, Red Kangaroos reached record-breaking densities – a recovery which took 7 years. After the 2017-2020 drought, Red Kangaroos reached the highest density on record – a recovery which only took 3 years. The 2024 density is 142% greater than the long-term average. Such a quick, massive, record-breaking recovery post-drought is impossible!
The density of Red Kangaroos in the North-East Pastoral harvest zone is now 23.00. The average long-term density (as of 2023) is 10.45. The density of 23.00 is the highest on record – and more than double the long-term average. The population estimate increased from 128,937 in 2020 to 723,304 in 2024 – an increase of 461% in 4 years!
The following graph shows the annual density of Red Kangaroos in the North-East Pastoral harvest zone since 1978. The population estimate declined to historic lows during the Millennium Drought (2001-2009). Once again, Red Kangaroo numbers crashed during the drought of 2017-2020. The density was 3.79 in 2010 and 3.99 in 2020. After the Millennium Drought, Red Kangaroos reached record-breaking densities – a recovery which took 6 years. After the 2017-2020 drought, Red Kangaroos reached the highest density on record – a recovery which only took 4 years. The 2024 density is 142% greater than the long-term average. Such a quick, massive, record-breaking recovery post-drought is impossible!
The density of Red Kangaroos in the South Flinders is now 13.30. The average long-term density (as of 2023) is 4.03. The density of 13.30 is the highest on record – and more than triple the long-term average. The population estimate increased from 43,520 in 2021 to 158,057 in 2024 – an increase of 263% in 3 years!
The following graph shows the annual density of Red Kangaroos in the South Flinders harvest zone since 1978. The population estimate declined and increased again during the Millennium Drought (2001-2009). Red Kangaroo numbers crash during drought. The ‘bust’ cycle is a proven scientific fact. However, Red Kangaroo densities in the South Flinders harvest zone increased from 1.41 in 2003 to 1.81 in 2009. The increase may be small but scientific research suggests any increase is impossible! South Australia experienced another drought from 2017 to 2020 with 2019 being the driest year on record. Red Kangaroo numbers should have crashed in the South Flinders harvest zone. They didn’t. The Department for Environment and Water claimed that the number of Red Kangaroos increased by 41% between Winter 2018 and Winter 2019. Clearly such an increase during the driest year on record is impossible. Breeding reduces or ceases during drought conditions. The reproduction rate for Red Kangaroos is around 14% in good conditions. A reproduction rate of 41% in bad conditions (drought) is absurd.
The density of Red Kangaroos in the Eastern Districts is now 5.00. The average long-term density (as of 2023) is 2.56. The density of 5.00 is the highest on record – and double the long-term average. The population estimate increased from 35,541 in 2020 to 120,090 in 2024 – an increase of 238% in 4 years!
The following graph shows the annual density of Red Kangaroos in the Eastern Districts harvest zone since 1978. The population estimate fluctuated during the Millennium Drought (2001-2009). Red Kangaroo numbers crash during drought. The ‘bust’ cycle is a proven scientific fact. However, Red Kangaroo densities in the Eastern Districts harvest zone were very similar in 2002 and 2008, as if a decade-long drought had little – if any -impact on these miraculous Red Kangaroos. The lowest density during the Millennium Drought was in 2003. The Department for Environment and Water alleged that Red Kangaroo numbers in the Kingoonya harvest zone increased during drought – which is impossible!
The 2025 Quota on Red Kangaroos is 608,500 – the highest on record. Let’s put these figures into perspective. In 1995, the population estimate for Red Kangaroos was 2,233,164, the quota was 296,800 and the actual harvest was 276,492. In 2024, the population estimate for Red Kangaroos was 2,019,168, the quota was 373,400 and the predicted harvest is 63,823. The population estimate and quota are now the highest on record – yet the number of Red Kangaroos killed is only 23% of the 1995 total. The annual harvest has declined by almost 80%. Such a massive decline in the harvest suggests declining Red Kangaroo numbers – not the highest population estimates on record.
https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1571&context=asj
https://www.publish.csiro.au/WR/WR22130
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/annual/sa/archive/2019.summary.shtml
https://www.kangaroosatrisk.org/biology.html